Zervas Elementary School

The new Zervas Elementary School was part of a larger development project undertaken by the City of Newton to address growing enrollment and the advanced age of the existing facilities. The original Zervas school building was built in 1954 and was no longer addressing curriculum needs or the standards for educational facilities set forth by the State of Massachusetts. The design of the new Zervas Elementary school echoed features of the recently completed new Angier Elementary School in Newton, which was also built by W.T. Rich. HIGHLIGHTS The foundation system bears on over 500 rammed aggregate piers The floor plan included 24 classrooms as well as specialized spaces for art, music and special education Other features included a large scale gymnasium, cafeteria, outdoor play space and two soccer fields A major scope aspect was the full abatement and demolition of the original school The school is on track to achieve LEED v.4 Silver Certification PROJECT INFORMATION Location: Newton, MA Completion: August 2017 Contract Value: $29.2 million Size: 80,000 SF Type: New Construction Owner: City of Newton Designer: Perkins Eastman, Boston Delivery Method: CM-at-Risk (M.G.L. Chapter 149A) CHALLENGES & SOLUTIONS Minimizing traffic impact within the community was a high priority for the planning of this construction project. The Project Team worked with the city’s to conduct a complete traffic study during the planning phase of the project. W.T. Rich then developed and implemented a detailed project logistics and safety plan The existing site contained a thick layer of peat and unsuitable materials. W.T. Rich led the initiative to utilize rammed aggregate piers, saving nearly $1 million in project costs and greatly reducing the amount of trucking required for soil removal An existing 8’ wide stormwater culvert runs through the site. In one location the new foundation is located with one foot of this culvert. Great care was taken to locate and protect the culvert throughout construction RESULTS The new Zervas Elementary School opened in September 2017. In addition to the construction of the Angier Elementary School and the Zervas Elementary school, W.T. Rich is currently engaged by the City of Newton to complete the new construction of the Cabot Elementary School.