Frequently Asked Questions

The Arlington High School Building Project encompasses all aspects of the planning and construction of the High School, including selection of the Owner’s Project Manager (OPM), designer and contractor, as well as oversight of the project.

The Town of Arlington is participating in the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) process for the construction of a new High School. Acceptance to the MSBA program does not guarantee state funding.  The MSBA approval process must be completed successfully for the state, via the MSBA, to provide significant financial assistance to the project. Local funding was approved on June 11, 2019.

Arlington is rebuilding the high school because of increasing enrollment and a deteriorating and outdated facility that no longer meets today’s educational needs.

• The high school is nearly at capacity today with a little over 1,500 students. As of 2019, enrollment at AHS had grown 22% the past ten years, with an anticipated additional 17% in the next three years alone. By 2027, projected enrollment at AHS will be over 1,800 students. 
• The school is on accreditation warning due to its poor facility. The building no longer meets educational standards and >30% of classrooms are inadequate and interfere with instruction. In addition, the antiquated and small science labs create hazardous conditions.
• Finally, the aging building is deteriorating. Numerous facilities and mechanical systems are at the end of their lifespan and in need of extensive repair. For example, the antiquated HVAC system means there are significant temperature fluctuations, making many classrooms too hot or too cold. Windows are not energy efficient and many leak. Power wiring throughout the complex is inadequate for load.

Numerous videos and photos show the interior of the current building: outdated science classrooms, columns in classrooms, aging and crowded facility.

No. Swimming pools do not qualify for state funds from MSBA.

Due to Covid-19, in the first semester of the 2020-21 school year, Arlington High School operated on a remote schedule for most students. A group of 150 high-needs learners were in the school each day, some staff were in the building, and teachers were planning “reverse field trips” for a limited number of students to meet in person in small groups with faculty members.

Phase 1 of the construction project, which was underway at the time, consisted of building a new classroom wing and auditorium on the front lawn of AHS.  As designed and planned (and a benefit of the chosen design), this phase of construction was separate from the existing school, leaving the current building completely operational. Although the possibility was examined, despite the reduced number of students and staff in the facility, there was not an opportunity to accelerate Phase 1.

The only way to begin Phase 2, which includes the demolition of the existing auditorium and other spaces, earlier than the winter of 2022 as currently planned would be to keep most of Arlington High School closed to students until January of 2022 so that work could begin earlier. Such a decision could advance the project by a few months, but it would have limited, if any, savings. The Building Committee did not recommend any changes to the current schedule.

Preliminary site work started April 2020 and phased construction started November 2020 with occupancy of the STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Mathematics) and Performing Arts wings in February 2022 and anticipated completed building construction in February 2025. Following completion of the buildings, site work (fields/roads) is anticipated to conclude in September 2025.

The students will remain at the high school throughout the project. The proposed new high school will be constructed in multiple phases on the same site as the existing school. One of the benefits of the chosen design concept is that the existing school will be fully operational during the first 15 month phase of construction. Modular classrooms will not be needed during construction and students will remain on site. 

Safety of students and staff and minimization of disruption are the project’s highest priorities. During construction the Town, School Administration and project team will continuously plan and monitor the educational environment and safety of the students and staff.

During construction, Skanska (the Owner’s Project Manager) will always be present on site and involved in all aspects of the phase. Prevention of any disruption starts with proper planning, including: frequent consultation with school administrators, setting quiet/study days around the school schedule (including during testing for MCAS and other exams), logistical planning for safe flow of students/staff through the building and site, segregation of construction activities from the operating school, and continuous monitoring of air quality.

Read our blog ‘Student Impact During Construction‘.

The project team has proactively hired a 3rd party pest consultant Modern Pest to manage pest control related to the AHS construction project on both the AHS site and in abutting neighborhoods. Prior to construction, a baseline was established by the pest consultant so that any changes in pest activity could be identified. Secured, non-toxic, pet and child-proof snap traps will be used. The AHS site currently has traps installed along the entire perimeter of the site. These traps were implemented on May 6th, 2020, and are monitored frequently.

If an adjacent-to-the-project abutter notices a new pest or rodent issue on their property that they believe is related to the construction project, they can either email ahsbuilding@arlington.k12.ma.us or call Skanska’s Site Representative Hal Raymond at 617-352-8593. The pest consultant will then review the concern and may install and monitor snap-traps as appropriate.

Skanska, the Town’s Owner’s Project Manager, has a representative on-site every day. For on-site issues, contact Skanska’s Site Representative Hal Raymond at 617-352-8593.

The following measures are being performed to reduce dust on the construction site and in the surrounding area:

• Water truck travels around the entire site every hour
• Street sweeper ~2 days a week along site paved roads as well Schouler Court, Millbrook and Mass. Ave. 
• Bobcat sweeper as needed on pavement
• Laborers with brooms at construction entrances, sidewalk and street
• Ballasted track pads at construction gates removes mud and dirt from the truck tires

In addition to chromium contamination under the athletic fields (which are safely  capped), the soils under a portion of the existing school and drive areas are also contaminated and are “capped” by the existing building and black top.  The project will include providing a contact cap of clean soil so the entire back portion of the site will be mitigated.

The front of the school is contaminated by chlorinated volatile organic compounds.  The school construction will include a vapor mitigation system.

Mitigation of these environmental issues, as well as hazardous material abatement of the existing school building are factored into the budget.

First, it should be noted that the contaminated soil on the site is either covered by clean soil, the footprint of the existing school or by barriers that were installed during the previous remediation project in 2005.  The project’s subcontractor McPhail Associates, LLC is monitoring soil and air quality on the site during the duration of the project and publishes regular Indoor Air Quality Assessment Reports.

Dust monitors are being used to continuously measure the levels of dust particulates in ambient air along the fence line of the construction site and daily reports are issued to the construction team. These reports are also submitted to the DEP in Status Reports that are periodically filed through the duration of the project and are made available on the DEP on-line waste-site database and monthly reports will be posted on the project website.

Additionally, as part of the subsequent phases of the project, a clean soil cap will be placed over a majority of the existing site soils prior to the construction of the proposed building foundations and surface treatments to further mitigate exposure to potential contaminants that may be present in underlying soils.   

As part of its design, a sub-slab vapor mitigation system will be installed beneath the entire footprint of the new buildings to prevent subsurface contamination from entering indoor air.  Upon installation and operation of the new school building’s HVAC system, seasonal indoor air testing will be performed to ensure that the vapor intrusion pathway has been mitigated.

Community input has been solicited throughout the project. The project is currently in the Construction phase and the design is final. Learn more about the MSBA Project Phases.

Pre-construction work began April 2020 with construction in November 2020. The project is currently anticipated to be a multi-phased construction project with partial occupancy in February 2022 and full occupancy at the beginning of 2025.  View the construction phases.

In order to receive state funding for the project, the MSBA requires that each town go through a very specific and detailed process.  In addition, there are many checkpoints along the process that require a vote from the MSBA Board of Directors before the project can move forward. Finally, the new building will be constructed on the existing site with the school in operation. As a result, the new school will be built over multiple phases.

The Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) is the government authority through which the Commonwealth of Massachusetts reimburses cities and towns for school construction projects. It participates in the management of any project that qualifies for reimbursement, and studies and designs that are eligible for funding must comply with its process and standards. For more information about the MSBA, visit its web site. The MSBA is estimated to contribute a total of $84.7M – approximately one-third of the project cost.

HMFH Architects was selected as the design firm in October 2017.

Consigli Construction was hired as the construction manager in July 2019.

About ⅔ of the front green will be preserved as open space. The addition of outdoor spaces elsewhere on the campus (a courtyard with an eco garden and outdoor classroom spaces, an outdoor amphitheater and outdoor plaza areas) will provide increased socializing and learning spaces for students while maintaining a secure and welcoming campus. 

The setback of the old building from Massachusetts Avenue was approximately 130’ (including the driveway and parking). The setback of the new school from Massachusetts Avenue varies from 80’-100’. Strong efforts will be taken to preserve all of the mature trees along Massachusetts Avenue and all work will be undertaken with consultation with the Tree Warden.

View a comparison of current and proposed open space on the site.

The existing structures of Fusco House and Collomb House will be replaced with a new structure.  Although the Building Committee decided not to save the existing buildings, it recognizes that the history of the buildings and site is important to many members of the community. Honoring significant elements of this history is a priority of the Building Committee and the proposed design includes the following:

• relocating the stone entrance portico of the 1914 Fusco building (the four story brick building to the left of the main entrance) to the new central spine as the entry to the Performing Arts Classroom/ Black Box Theater
• preserving artifacts from the existing buildings, including, a carved wood panel from the Fusco entry, the wood carved proscenium and a stone frieze from Old Hall, the River of Hands mural and the tower clock mechanism.  

This was a very difficult decision and the Building Committee carefully weighed the pros and cons of each design concept as well as a variety of factors : educational fit, layout, sustainability, construction timeline, disruption to students, cost and community feedback. Ultimately, the decision centered around whether to spend more money and make concessions in order to retain historic buildings or whether to build a new, lower cost, lower risk facility that would provide increased flexibility and sustainability features for many years to come. Many factors were considered when selecting the preferred design concept. In the end, the building committee selected a new building for the following reasons:

• There is a higher risk of cost overruns when renovating historic buildings
• More flexibility to build a facility that fully meets the needs of the school
• Offers optimal sustainability and the highest potential to achieve the carbon-neutral goal
• More flexibility to incorporate technology needs
• Unconstrained design flexibility (ceiling heights, location of large spaces such as cafeteria, auditorium and gym)
• Shorter construction and lower estimated costs than either of the renovation/addition options

Read Building Committee member and architect John Cole’s reflections on this decision.

While these buildings have been part of Arlington and the high school for a long time, they are not in Arlington’s historic district. The structures are also not included in the Massachusetts Historical Commission’s Inventory of Historic and Archeological Assets of the Commonwealth, nor are they listed in the National and State Registers of Historic Places. The Massachusetts Historical Commission acknowledged the Town’s plans for a new high school.

The back of the High School site (including the athletic field and running track) includes chromium contaminated soils that were capped in 2006 and would be cost-prohibitive to disturb.

Yes. The final phase of the project will build direct access from the Minuteman Bikeway to the rear of the complex. 

Estimates are for the new school to take approximately 5 years to build with pre-work that began in April 2020 and phased construction that began in November 2020. The Phase 1 STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Mathematics) classroom wing and the Performing Arts classroom spaces opened in February 2022. Construction of the new school is anticipated to be complete in February 2025 followed by six months of site work. View the construction phases.

The old school is 391,000 square feet, serving roughly 1,500 students and the new school is 408,590 square feet, and will serve 1,755 students.  The old building has numerous, inefficient hallways and stairwells as well as a few Town offices (IT, Facilities, Comptroller) that will be moving out of the building.  Though only somewhat larger than the old facility, a newly designed school will greatly optimize space and increase efficient programming uses within the facility.  

The future school will include interior athletics facilities equal to facilities in the old school with the addition of an indoor walking track as part of the gymnasium.   

As part of the project, the current baseball field will be enlarged to qualify as a varsity baseball field. In addition, the softball field will be reconfigured and new, full size multi-sport (soccer, lacrosse, etc.) rectangular practice fields will overlay both outfields. Both new fields will be artificial turf. The existing artificial turf field and track will remain. All athletic fields will be outfitted with nighttime lighting.

In 2019 (at the time of the project vote), the estimated impact to taxpayers was approximately $800 per year, based on an average assessed single- family home property value of $752,184 and assuming a 30 year level debt at 4% interest. Note: Taxpayers will not see the full tax impact at once. Borrowing will be phased in gradually, in conjunction with school construction. Full tax impact is not expected until 2024.

There are three primary cost factors that contribute to the overall cost of the project:

1. High Schools are costly because they are large and require many specialized spaces.
2. The Boston area construction market is expensive, with 4% annual construction cost escalation.
3. AHS has specific factors that increase its cost above typical high school projects.

Examples of cost factors include: the AHS educational program is strong and broad and the new building needs to provide the specialized spaces required for a high-performing modern high school; education-related offices and programs currently residing in the facility will be included in the new school; the AHS site is complex, with a 24 foot grade change, site contamination, and Mill Brook flowing underneath; phased construction on a compact, complex site with an operating school is more costly than building on open space.

The MSBA is estimated to contribute a total of $84.7M – approximately one-third of the project cost. This value includes $2 million of contingencies’ funds that will potentially be reimbursed during the next phase of the project.

On June 11, 2019, Arlington voters approved a debt exclusion to cover the costs of the project. 

A debt exclusion is a temporary increase in taxes to pay for a specific debt – typically a capital expense such as a building renovation or repair.  It is not permanent.  When the project has been paid for, the temporary increase will be revoked and taxes reduced.

Following are resources available to senior citizens and those on limited incomes:

• https://www.arlingtonma.gov/departments/finance/assessor/personal-exemptions 
• https://www.arlingtonma.gov/home/showdocument?id=25102

• Yes. Over the course of the project, the Building Committee has taken numerous steps to reduce the costs of the project. In December 2019, the Building Committee performed a Value Engineering exercise to keep the project within budget.

  Action	Savings	Effect
  Selection of Design Option 3A – New Building (vs. renovating original buildings)	$25M	Reduced overall project cost
  Relocation of Comptroller, Facilities and IT offices	$8.4M	Reduced overall project cost
  Value Engineering (including site adjustments, exterior and interior material selection, removal of geothermal wells)	$30+M	Reduced overall project cost
  Accelerate Performance partnership	$200,000+ in energy rebates	Reduces lifecycle costs of the building

  Action	Increase in MSBA Reimbursement
  Proactive Building Maintenance Budget	1.61% ($2.8M)
  LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Certification	2% ($3.5M)
  Construction Manager at Risk approach	1% ($1.7M)

Once Arlington voters approve their share of the project, the expectation is that any cost increases will be absorbed into the budget. If at any time the project is over budget, the Building Committee will perform a Value Engineering (cost reduction) exercise to bring the project back on budget. The total project budget contains several contingencies to mitigate various risks as the project moves forward.