Natick, MA Nauset Construction began work on a project that will transform an 18th century tavern into a new facility used by the middle school on the campus of the Riverbend School. Located at 33 Eliot St. the completed project will provide new classroom, office and multi-purpose space for Riverbend’s expanding campus.

Designed by Piatt Associates, the project includes the conversion of the Peletiah Morse Tavern, which was built in 1748 to serve as a residence, tavern and stage stop for travelers on the Old Hartford Rd., as well as the construction of a two-story, 4,200 s/f addition. The existing addition to the tavern (circa 1901) was demolished to make way for the new building. When completed, the new facilities will house science and math classrooms for middle schoolers, a large multi-purpose space for music instruction, a Welcome Center for prospective Riverbend School families, and administrative offices. 

In order to retain the historic character of the tavern, historically accurate replica windows and a hand hewn front door will be installed, and the wood siding, trim, and masonry will reflect the style of the original buildings. The tavern’s first floor will be lowered for added ceiling height, a second floor ceiling will be exposed to reveal the original beams, and a faux chimney will be re-built in the tavern using the bricks from an original, which had previously been demolished. In addition, the entire MEP and fire protection systems in the tavern will be replaced.

The project is not without challenges, as the school will remain open during the entire construction process, including the remaining summer months. 

The project is anticipated to be completed by mid-December.

“Working on a highly sensitive, fully operational school campus requires strict adherence to the safety procedures that we have developed and honed through our extensive work with both occupied school and medical facilities,” said Nauset president Anthony Papantonis.

Riverbend is a dynamic young school whose history includes the merger of two highly respected Montessori schools, Natick Montessori and Eliot Montessori, to create a learning experience that spans the Toddler years right up through Middle School. Riverbend graduates students who are passionately curious, compassionate about their communities and the people who live in them, and who are dedicated to making positive change in the world.

Since 1980, Piatt Associates, Inc. has provided architectural services to clients in three modes: as a traditional full-service practice; as an architectural design consultant specializing in the early stage of projects exploring planning/development options and creating design concepts; and as a general partner in various real estate developments. We have experience with all building types, including small and large-scale residential, shopping and market centers, restaurants, theaters, hotels and hostels, and more recently, cruise ships. Piatt Associates is known to its clients for its responsiveness, flexibility and design creativity, and understanding of the marketplace due to its own development experience.

Nauset Construction is a construction management and design-build firm run by industry veterans with a shared goal of providing an unparalleled positive client experience. Nauset excels at complex projects on challenging sites with aggressive time and budget requirements - often in sensitive, occupied and operational environments. Proactive decisions are made based on years of proven experience while orchestrating project-team cooperation and collaboration to inherent unforeseen challenges. Taking a collaborative approach throughout the project cycle, Nauset provides creative ideas and alternative methods that reduce cost and increase value to its clients, while creating lasting relationships.