Education

Finegold Alexander Designs School Expansion

New addition to the existing Hardy Elementary School building

Arlington, MA – Finegold Alexander Architects and the town of Arlington announce the design of a new addition to the existing Hardy Elementary School building, the next in a series of school building projects for the town. The project team, including Jones Lang LaSalle as the owner’s project manager, have been working closely with the superintendent, Kathleen Bodie, and principal, Kristin DeFrancisco, to develop the design to suit the needs of the growing student population.

The addition is a three-story structure with two classrooms at each level and will be fully integrated with the exiting building. The exterior envelope will have a brick façade and will feature large projected window with interior seat nooks in each classroom. Each classroom will have a teaching wall with projectors and whiteboards as well as storage cubbies for students. The adjacent playground equipment will be reconfigured to allow for the new addition and landscape improvements to the site will be made.

The project is currently in design and will start construction in March 2018. Safety is of paramount importance, and the design incorporates elements to ensure the building and site are well controlled throughout the project. A separate playground project along Lake Street will take place in parallel to the building project.

-more-

In the past 10 to 15 years, the Town of Arlington has seen significant population growth with numerous projects underway including the renovation of the Gibbs Building into a new Middle School, expansion of new Thompson School, and the highly anticipated high school project due to begin later in the Fall.

“Our goal in developing the expansion concept was to create a compatible addition to complement the existing building fabric and one that would be on par with projects being completed at peer schools in town,” said Regan Shields Ives, Principal, Finegold Alexander.