Education Restoration/Renovation

Work Continues at St. Mary’s High School

St. Mary’s High School STEM Gateway building / Rendering Courtesy of CBT Architects

Lynn, MAWork continues on a state-of-the-art STEM/Gateway building at St. Mary’s High School in Lynn, part of a renovation project that includes a three-story, 30,000sf building, associated parking and expansive greenspace.

This is Allen & Major’s (A&M) second project for the high school. Construction is anticipated to be completed by the fall.

The multi-phase project began with the demolition of a two-story chapel and annex building along with its connected utilities. The demolition gave space for the new building which was designed by Boston-based CBT Architects.

St. Mary’s of Lynn’s Gateway and STEM Center reflects the school’s commitment to the sciences and project-based learning. The design knits together three separate existing campus buildings, creating a single interconnected school in the urban environment of the city of Lynn. This insertion gives the school an iconic presence along a main street in the city, and by creating a single point of entry, it enhances the security of its community.

With learning environments such as science labs and flexible maker spaces, the Gateway and STEM Center connects existing resource centers and core curriculum classrooms to encourage multidisciplinary explorations and 21st century techniques of problem-solving.

The final phase of the project is currently underway.  A&M civil division is providing solutions to meet ADA accessible routes throughout the 137-year-old campus, update existing stormwater systems, reconfigure parking areas, and update site lighting.

Work included multiple field investigations to resolve conflicts with existing utilities. This required coordination with the Lynn Water and Sewer department and the on-site contractor.

The new landscaping being proposed is extensive and therefore the civil site design that was done prior to the greenspace planning needed to be revised to ensure that there were no conflicts with existing utilities.

Specific areas of the greenspace are being dedicated to people of importance to the school including the Mosakowski Gardens, named for long-time benefactors Bill and Jane Mosakowski.

A separate water feature is included in the Cardinal Sean O’Malley Sanctuary, a quiet space for reflection and prayer, while the student side of the space will feature the Molloy-Twomey Green, named for alumna and trustee Dr. Elizabeth A. Molloy Twomey.