Weymouth, MA BOND Building Construction, Inc. has completed the structural steel work on the new Maria Weston Chapman Middle School. BOND Building celebrated this milestone alongside members of the school, elected officials, and community members at a topping off ceremony on April 7, at which the final steel beam was placed into position signifying the successful completion of the framing of the structure. The ceremony took place outside, with face coverings required and social distancing guidelines enforced.

“It will make a difference for the kids,” said Mass. Representative Ronald Mariano (D-Norfolk) during the ceremony. “It will make a difference for the community. It will make a difference for everyone in this neighborhood. The impact is five times what you expect it to be.”

Chapman Middle School will host 1,470 students in grades 6-8. The 252,170 s/f structure is an innovative project that promises to usher students into a modern era for learning. Designed by HMFH Architects, Inc., the $164 million (total project budget) facility features three distinct academic wings which will surround centrally located exploratory labs. These labs will be built around the school’s “Town Square,” a central gathering area that functions as the dining facility. Wings to the west and south of the Town Square will house an auditorium, a central kitchen, administrative offices, music spaces, and a fully renovated gymnasium and fitness area.

“BOND Building takes great pride in creating innovative education spaces and has been honored to engage in this project with the town of Weymouth,” said Frank Hayes, president of BOND Building. “This cutting-edge learning facility will offer students top-of-the-line technology that will really elevate and enhance the learning experience, and we’re excited to be part of the team creating that vision.”

The project included the demolition of the former Maria Weston Chapman Middle School, originally built in 1961, except for the gymnasium which will be fully renovated. The demolition, new construction, and renovation is taking place in close proximity to the surrounding neighborhood. While keeping safety at the forefront, BOND Building is also making sure to minimize disruption, implementing several construction mitigation strategies including noise mitigation and monitoring, dust control and monitoring, vibration monitoring, traffic management plans, and a community outreach and notification system.

“We are at our best working closely with all stakeholders to develop comprehensive plans for safety, mitigation and efficiency; we aim to be a good neighbor to the surrounding community” said David Capaldo, director of public education for BOND Building. “This project was no different and I am proud of the project team that is delivering this new middle school.”

“Our architect HMFH Architects, our owner’s project manager Hill International, and our construction manager, BOND Building, will be on time and on budget, and how do I know this? Because they’ve done this for us all over the Commonwealth,” said Jack McCarthy, executive director of MA School Building Authority.