Schools

Roadway Near High School to be Closed Temporarily for Construction

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The following announcement was provided by Vertex, the City’s project management firm for the Watertown High School project:

Please be aware starting Tuesday 1/21/25 through Friday 1/24/25 (weather-depending), one lane of Columbia Street will be closed between Common and Robbins to allow repair work to previously installed electrical conduits at the pole on the opposite side of the street from the new school. 

This temporary closure will occur daily from 7AM – 5PM, and then re-open.  Access to and from all residents’ homes will be maintained throughout this closure period. We ask that residents please not park along Columbia between Common and Robbins for these few days to allow working room and equipment. There will be a police detail to assist with traffic as needed. Please see the graphic (above) to better illustrate the area being affected. 

Additionally, the project construction site will be open on Monday 1/20/25 – the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday.  The team will abide by the City ordinance will not start construction until 8am. If you have questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. Laurie Soave, On Site Contact Telephone: 781.565.8688 Email: Lsoave@vertexeng.com

Around Town

Street Closure Thursday for the Watertown High School Construction Project

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A street next to the construction site for the new Watertown High School will be closed on Thursday, according to an announcement from the district’s construction management firm, Vertex. The announcement said:

Please be aware this coming Thursday 11/14/24 Columbia St. will be closed from CommonSt. to Broadway Avenue to facilitate the delivery and hoisting of roof top units that will serve thenew high school. A police detail will be on site to ensure public safety throughout the day.

Schools

Take a Look Around the Half Completed New Watertown High School

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Architects showed the tour the inside of the new auditorium at Watertown High School. The balcony can be seen on the left side. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

While still a mesh of steel, concrete, and wood, visitors can get an idea of what the future home of Watertown’s high schoolers will look like when it opens in 2026. With construction of the new Watertown High School at the midpoint, the designers of the new school led a group of Watertown School and City officials around the four-level school building taking shape between Common and Columbia streets. City Councilor President Mark Sideris, left, and Council Vice President Vincent Piccirilli stand outside the Watertown High School construction site.

Schools

Suggestions Wanted for Names of New High School Gym & Auditorium

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Ai3 ArchitectsA rendering of the designs for the new Watertown High School viewed from Columbia Street. The School Committee seeks recommendations from the public for what to name the gym and auditorium at the new Watertown High School. People can send in their ideas to School Committee Chair Kendra Foley, she said at Monday’s School Committee meeting. “I’d like to invite members of the community to make any suggestions for names of the new high school gym and auditorium. Those suggestions should be sent to me at kendra.foley@watertown.k12.ma.us,” Foley said.

Schools

New Watertown High School on Track to be Net Zero Energy

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The entrance to the new Watertown High School is taking shape. (Photo from Watertown School Building Committee meeting)

Progress has been made on the new Watertown High School, and the goal of having the building produce all the energy needed to operate is closer to becoming a reality. When the high school project was approved, it was designed to be Net Zero energy and also meet the LEED Platinum standards for energy efficiency and sustainability. Since being approved in June 2021, the project budget has increased significantly mostly due to the rise in construction costs. City Manager George Proakis told the City Council that the project would be completed, with a net zero energy building, and not borrow more than $150 million to cover the cost.

Schools

Installation of Geothermal Wells to Begin Soon at Watertown High School, Will Take 4-5 Months

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The following information was provided by Vertex, the project management firm for the Watertown High School project:

Starting the week of August 5th, you can expect to see the mobilization of geothermal well drilling rigs at the new Watertown High School Building Project. This is an exciting milestone for the project, as the before mentioned geothermal wells will aid in the project’s goal of being a net-zero energy building. The geothermal wells, once installed, will provide heating and cooling to spaces in the new high school including the gymnasium, the auditorium, and other community spaces throughout the school. The project expects these drilling rigs to be on site for approximately 4-5 months to complete 14 wells to approximately 900 feet deep. What to expect in the coming months, starting the week of August 5th:

–  Geothermal Well Drilling Rigs on site from 7AM-5PM

–  Equipment will be located on the corner of Columbia and Common Streets within the construction fence.

Schools

Milestone Celebrated in Creation of a New, Net Zero Watertown High School

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The final beam is bolted into place at the new Watertown High School. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

A steel beam, with a small tree on top and an American flag flying from it, was lifted hundreds of feet into the air by a crane and bolted into place marking the topping off of the new Watertown High School project. The ceremony marked the finish of the construction of the frame for the new school, said Superintendent Dede Galdston, which is going up on the site of the old high school. “As I stand here before this impressive structure, it is essential to reflect on the journey that brought us to this moment,” Galdston said. “The vision for this new school building was born out of a shared commitment to fostering an environment where our children can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.”

Around Town

Road Near High School Construction Site Closing for 2 Days

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The following announcement was provided by Watertown’s project management firm, Vertex:

As we continue to progress the new high school project, Brait Builders and their subcontractors are planning to continue new utility work in Broadway this Thursday 6/6 and Friday 6/7.  This will require that we close the road to through traffic from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. from the intersection of Broadway and Columbia Street to Russell Avenue. 

Residents of that area of the street will have access to and from their driveways. The contractor will have someone there to ensure safe access as needed. As a quick update, today the project reaches another milestone as we install the topping off beam on the Common Street side of the building. Things continue to progress well overall and we move towards being enclosed and weathertight this Fall.