March 17, 2023

CTA Construction Celebrates Groundbreaking for $98M Elementary School

CTA Construction Managers LLC announced that construction has begun on Swampscott Consolidated Elementary School, a $98 million project for the town of Swampscott.

CTA Construction was awarded the contract in November to build the 154,000sf building that is set to accommodate up to 900 students in grades K-4. CTA Construction staff members recently joined the school building committee, members of the community, and school district staff for a groundbreaking ceremony.

“We are happy to be working again with owner’s project management firm Hill International and architecture firm Lavallee Brensinger Architects,” said Jeff Hazelwood, principal of CTA Construction. CTA Construction has previously worked with Hill International on nine projects, including Lowell Elementary School project in Watertown.

“We are glad to be entering the construction phase of this project,” said Paul Kalous, program director from Hill International, the owner’s project management firm. “Hill International has worked with CTA in the past on various projects and looks forward to partnering again on this endeavor.”

Lavallee Brensinger engaged the town through a feasibility study, site selection, educational programming, and final design. “This really was a community-centered process,” said Leigh Sherwood, principal architect at Lavallee Brensinger. “The combined elementary school design is a reflection of the needs of the students, teachers, families and town leaders and is based on an understanding of what is uniquely appropriate to Swampscott. We hope this project will have a long-term transformative effect on the education of your children and their children as well.”

“The project is built on the site of the former Stanley School,” said Pat Tompkins, principal of CTA Construction. “There are a lot of improvements to residential buffers included in the design, including shielded “Night Skies” lighting, retaining walls, fencing, and enhanced privacy landscaping at the perimeter.”

“CTA Construction crews are currently performing site prep work, including preparing for blasting and removing and disposing of all contaminated soil, which is typical for sites of this age where the was a pre-existing structure,” said Jared Smith, project manager for CTA Construction. “We have also started excavating and preparing the foundation.”

This will be CTA Construction’s 45th school project in Massachusetts. The new school complex is scheduled to be completed during the early part of the 2024-2025 school year.