MSBA Approves Funding for New STEM Academy
BOSTON — Officials from the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) recently approved up to $37.3 million to support construction of the Dearborn STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) Academy. This move marked the MSBA’s first new school construction project in eleven years, and ended a seven-year school construction reimbursement moratorium.
Following the March 26 decision, Dearborn STEM) Academy will finally be able to move forward on construction of a new and modern facility that reflects its educational focus. The school will be built on the site of the current Henry Dearborn Middle School in Boston’s Roxbury neighborhood, and will be the first middle and high school in the state to operate exclusively on a STEM curriculum.
Many within the community had been advocating for the new school for years, and saw the move as a hard won victory. In a release published by the MSBA, Steven Grossman, treasurer and chairman of the MSBA, said, “The new Dearborn School has been one of my top priorities as Chairman of the MSBA, and we have worked tirelessly with school administrators to ensure that it will have the infrastructure and facilities to train City of Boston students for the demands and jobs of the innovation economy,” said Grossman. “I’m delighted that we’re taking this substantial step forward and that this grant will help make good on a commitment to make Dearborn Academy a reality.”
Upon completion, the academy will feature state-of-the-art classrooms and facilities aimed at helping students prepare for higher education, as well as potential careers in the sciences. “The new Dearborn Academy School will replace an aging school with an up-to-date, 21st century learning facility,” stated MSBA Executive Director Jack McCarthy in a release. “Students will soon have a beautiful new space which will undoubtedly enhance and improve their ability to excel in the classroom.”
According to the MSBA announcement, the academy will be built based on a design enrollment of 600 students, nearly tripling its previous enrollment, and the authority will ultimately contribute slightly more than 75 percent of the project’s total cost. From here, the MSBA and Boston School District will enter into a Project Funding Agreement, which according to the MSBA release will detail the project’s scope and budget, as well as the conditions under with the city will receive the MSBA grant.
Construction on the Dearborn STEM Academy will likely begin in 2015, following the demolition of the existing 111,880-square-foot facility, which was completed in 1912. Though that facility received periodic renovations, upgrades and one addition throughout the years, it can no longer meet the educational needs of students. According to a 2013 memo, the current facility suffers from poor heat distribution and ventilation, and features inadequate electrical, plumbing and mechanical systems. A 2012-2013 environmental inspection also noted leaks, water damage, pests and 20 necessary repairs.
Designer Jonathan Levi Architects Inc. and Daedalus Projects Inc., both of Boston, served as consultants during the initial feasibility study. In October 2013 the board approved designs for the new academy, which at that time was estimated at $50 million. The current estimate is just over $70 million.