The following district presented on the progress of their proposed project at the July 16, 2025 Massachusetts School Building Authority (the “MSBA”) Facilities Assessment Subcommittee (the “FAS”) Meeting:
District: City of Salem
School: Salem High School
Phase: Feasibility Study
Owner’s Project Manager: Accenture (formerly Anser Advisory)
Designer: Perkins + Will
The City of Salem (the “District”), the Owner’s Project Manager, and design team presented an overview of the options studied during the Feasibility Study and the District’s preferred solution to proceed into Schematic Design to replace the existing Salem High School on the existing site. The FAS, MSBA staff, and the District discussed the following: size and distribution of the proposed Special Education spaces and DESE review process; opportunity to use the updated Educational Program as a resource for community outreach and engagement; importance of continued faculty and student feedback and involvement as the design progresses; suggestion to create more interdisciplinary, project-based learning opportunities for second semester seniors; appreciation for the proposed layout and flexibility of classroom neighborhoods; the Proposed Project’s relationship to the adjacent Horace Mann School, including site coordination, parking, and academic collaboration opportunities; differences in size and prominence between entries for bus and parent drop-off and associated gathering spaces for students; opportunities to further refine ground floor program and adjacencies; appreciation for the site plan and use of green space; interior connections and potential to create transparency between the gym and cafeteria; outdoor learning spaces and public access through the site; integration of CTE and early college program offerings; benefits of procuring a Construction Manager and schedule considerations associated with construction logistics and site phasing; sustainability goals and design factors for building systems: review of the District’s decision factors for selection of new construction following prior building renovations; and, the importance of an efficient design as it relates to design enrollment, program offerings, and project cost.
