Weymouth, MA BOND Building Construction, Inc. (BOND Building) has broken ground on the new Maria Weston Chapman Middle School. This innovative project is set to be completed in July of 2022 and promises to usher students into a modern era of learning.

The event was attended by mayor Robert Hedlund; Dr. Jennifer Curtis-Whipple, superintendent of schools; Jack McCarthy, executive director, Mass. School Building Authority; Michael Molisse, vice president, town council; Patrick O’Connor, state senator; Ronald Mariano, majority leader; James Murphy, state representative; and the School Building Committee.

“Our students are top-notch across the board and they deserve the best we can deliver in technology, innovation, and modern approaches in education,” said mayor Hedlund. “This is what the new Maria Chapman Middle School will be all about and our community can’t wait for it to be completed.”

Designed by HMFH Architects, the project includes the demolition of the existing Maria Weston Chapman Middle School, originally built in 1961, with the exception of the gymnasium which will be fully renovated. The total square footage of the new school is approximately 252,170 s/f with 31,290 s/f of the existing gymnasium and ancillary areas renovated to serve as the new school’s primary and alternative physical education spaces. These spaces include locker rooms, extensive gym storage, occupational therapy and physical therapy spaces, the kitchen, and main loading and receiving spaces.

An additional 220,880 s/f of entirely new construction will complete the new middle school. The two-story building will house students in grades 6-8 totaling 1,470 students with three academic wings located around a centrally shared space which doubles as a dining room. There is also an administration / auditorium wing with areas for music, art, and a makerspace.

“Our team is eager to begin work on this innovative new building,” said Frank Hayes, president of BOND Building Construction, Inc. “Schools are vital institutions in the community and we are grateful for the opportunity to create a state-of-the-art learning facility that will serve students, faculty, and the community for years to come.”

The demolition, new construction, and renovation will take place in close proximity to surrounding neighborhoods. BOND Building approaches projects with a laser focus on safety and minimizing disruption and has implemented a noise mitigation and dust control plan, a traffic management plan, and a community outreach and notification schedule. Hill International Inc. is serving as the owner’s project manager working with BOND Building to form a seamless construction management team.

“We pride ourselves on working closely with all stakeholders to develop comprehensive plans for safety and transparent communications,” said Ken Johnson, vice president of education for BOND Building Construction, Inc. “We are excited to begin advancing toward our vision for this project and we are appreciative for the collaboration among the teams that will help us achieve it.”