After many months of review, discussions and deliberations on the Wellesley High School Building Project, we have made a final decision on which option to pursue. We have unanimously voted to develop a building project based on the "Hub" design -- a one-phase, all new construction project. Further development will continue in collaboration with the MSBA; we anticipate developing schematic designs and detailed plans for further public review in the coming months.
We thank the many participants in the recent Decision Point meetings and throughout the last nine months of options review. We look forward to focusing our efforts on a single design, bringing the project ultimately to fruition. See below for more details.
~ The Wellesley School Building Committee
Project Option "HUB" Selected
Last night, the sixteen members of the SBC and Permanent Building Committee (PBC) voted unanimously to proceed with a building based on the "Hub" option.
Each member provided a brief statement summarizing the key factors which drove their respective decisions. The result was a testament to the SBC composition, as dictated by the MSBA: The members drew from their individual expertise, but also from the learnings from others over the course of the last year. Taken in sum, the decision process was a comprehensive and thoughtful review of the multiple factors and priorities.
To facilitate the choice between the Forum and the Hub options, (please note this is a very large file and may take several minutes to open) the SBC developed a list of project criteria. Over the last few weeks, each criterion was reviewed and a determination made on the extent to which each option met that criterion. The SBC has posted these findings in the Summary Assessment
Criteria.
Also available for SBC and PBC review was the third-party cost estimates for both options. These estimates, made by an independent authority, confirmed the hard costs used to date are well within normal variations for this stage of design. This information provided confirmation that the estimated costs are sufficient for current purposes.
With the selection of the "Hub" option, efforts can now be focused on the detailed design and specific layout of the building. Significant efforts have already begun to optimize the space and configuration (see below). Additionally, creative design work will begin in earnest to yield a building which will aesthetically and architecturally progressive while complementing the distinct and historical character of Wellesley.
There will be multiple opportunities for public review as this process proceeds and we encourage your input.
Optimizing Space
We are committed to ensuring that Wellesley High School Building Project is well-designed, well-constructed and cost efficient. To this end, we have initiated an effort to optimize and rationalize every square foot of space.
One objective of this effort is to scrutinize how the Educational Program can be effectively delivered in the least square footage. Adjacencies, economies, efficiencies and program synergies have been reviewed in detail and in the context of the building options.
Initial efforts have reaped significant benefit: A net reduction of over 8,800 square feet has been identified (translates to nearly 13,000 of gross square footage). The School Committee has reviewed the change in the proposed specification and has approved the reductions. Details will be posted on the WPS website shortly.
These efforts will continue as the design work proceeds.
In Consultation with MSBA
We are mindful that these decisions are subject to agreement by the Massachusetts School Building Authority. We regard our consultation with our MSBA contacts as critical to our progress and await the milestones necessary to proceed to the next step of the process.
At this juncture, the MSBA is reviewing all the documentation we have provided to date. They will be making a determination at a future board meeting on our project. We are prepared to work collaboratively wit the MSBA as we proceed through the specific steps outlined in their Process Flow chart. |
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Important Dates
Replay of Final Decision Point Meeting The May 15th SBC meeting at which they reviewed the project criteria and made a final determination on which option to pursue will be replayed on The Wellesley Channel as follows:
Fri, May 16, 1:00pm
Sat, May 17, 9:00am Sat, May 17, 9:00pm Sun, May 18, 3:00pm Mon, May 19, 12:00am Wed, May 21, 5:30am Wed, May 21, 4:30pm
Reference Articles
Recently added:
Moving Forward: MSBA meets with SBC, by Katherine L. Babson, Jr. Chair of the SBC . A summary of the initial meeting (2/28/08) with the MSBA on the Wellesley High School Building Project.
The WHS Project: A Principal's Perspective, by Andrew Keough, Wellesley High School Principal and SBC Member. Insights into how a high school building is integral to the learning experience, effective curriculum delivery and a student's sense of well-being.
WHS: a 50-year Solution, Physically and Functionally, by Tom Goemaat, Member of SBC. While the physical building must be built to last 50 years, it must also be functional for as long. This article provides a summary of why past proposals have failed to meet both objectives and why there really is no "low cost" option.
Reality Check on the WHS Building, by Steve Gagosian, Member of the SBC and Permanent Building Committee. A cursory look at the condition of the WHS physical plant and state of the systems and structures.
Building for the future, by Tom Goematt, Member of the SBC. A preliminary cost evaluation of the High School options, including the critical factors and variables which impact costs.
Learning from Others, by Cynthia Westerman, Member of the SBC. A summary of the site visits to local high schools which have recently undergone renovation and/or new construction.
For Performance or Sport: The Space Matters, by Suzanne Littlefield, School Committee and SBC Member. A summary of the School Committee decisions regarding design of the Auditorium and Gymnasium spaces to enable the WPS Educational Program.
Enabling Core Values, by the SBC. The key principles (in order of priority) to serve as the foundation for decision-making in the High School Project.
The WHS Project and You, by Katherine L. Babson, Jr., Chair of the SBC. The impact of the High School Project on each and every resident and the commitment to two-way communication.
How Public Education has evolved in Wellesley, by Bella Wong, Superintendent of the Wellesley Public Schools. How the many changes in teaching methods, state and federal mandates to education, and the importance of the extracurricular programs impact the current Educational Program.
WHS Project: The Pieces of the Puzzle, by Bella Wong, Superintendent of the Wellesley Public Schools. A summary of the physical space needed to enable the WPS Educational Program. The resulting "Architectural Educational Program" details what is included and where it is located and as such, becomes the basis for the building design.
WHS Project: The Importance of Site, by Marlene Allen, Member of the School Committee and Chair of the Interboard Land Use Working Group. A summary of the study conducted by the Land Use Working Group to assess the constraints and opportunities afforded by the land parcels adjacent to the current High School site.
SBC Members
Katherine L. Babson, Jr. Selectmen Representative SBC Chairman
Steve Baker Citizen-Architect
Tom Goemaat Citizen-Contractor
Steve Gagosian PBC Representative
Rusty Kellogg Advisory Representative
Andrew Keough High School Principal
Hans Larsen Executive Director
Suzy Littlefield School Committee Representative
Kathy Mullaney PBC Projects Administrator
Cynthia Westerman Citizen-Project Manager
Bella Wong Superintendent of Schools |
