MSBA Board Votes Pickering Middle School in Lynn into Schematic Design

BOSTON—State Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg, Chair of the Massachusetts School Building Authority (“MSBA”), and MSBA Executive Director John K. McCarthy announced today that the MSBA Board of Directors voted to move the Pickering Middle School in the City of Lynn into the Schematic Design phase. In the Schematic Design phase, the MSBA and the District will look at possible options to replace the existing school. The next step is for the MSBA to work in collaboration with the District to produce detailed designs for a potential project.
“Thanks to our collaborative work with local officials, we are working to build a 21st century educational facility that will provide students with a top-notch learning environment,” said Treasurer Goldberg.
The District’s preferred solution proposes to replace the existing Pickering Middle School facility with two new middle school buildings on two different sites, serving a total of 1,600 students in grades 6-8. The current facility suffers from deficient mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems, lack of accessibility, and structural insufficiencies pertaining to the building envelope. In addition to the physical plant issues, the District reported that the existing facility does not support the delivery of its educational program, as well as existing and projected overcrowding. The existing Pickering Middle School is a 78,600 square foot facility located on a 5.01 acre site, which currently serves students in grades 6-8. The original school building was constructed in 1917.
“The new Middle Schools will mean a better learning and teaching location for Lynn students and teachers,” stated Executive Director McCarthy.
The MSBA partners with Massachusetts communities to support the design and construction of educationally appropriate, flexible, sustainable and cost-effective public school facilities. Since its 2004 inception, the Authority has made over 1,750 site visits to more than 250 school districts as part of its due diligence process and has made over $12.2 billion in reimbursements for school construction projects.