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Date: 12/15/2017
WEST SPRINGFIELD – The city is one step closer to starting work on a new Coburn Elementary School.
Acting Assistant Superintendent for Business and Personnel Kevin McQuillan reported to the School Committee at its Dec. 12 meeting that TSKP Studio was recently selected as the architect for the project by the Massachusetts School Building Authority’s Designer Selection Panel.
“TSKP Studio is a long-established design firm from Hartford, CT, that has deep experience in many, many areas, including pre-K through 12 schools,” McQuillan said.
The Designer Selection Panel consisted of 16 members – 13 permanent and three local representatives from West Springfield. Representing the city were Superintendent Michael Richard, School Committee designee Doug Mattoon and McQuillan, who served as Mayor William Reichelt’s designee as Reichelt’s had a scheduling conflict that prevented his participation.
TSKP Studio beat out the other finalist Jones Whitsett Architects Inc. of Greenfield by a vote of 8-6. Initially there were four firms that applied for the project.
Each finalist, McQuillan explained, was afforded a 30-minute presentation, followed by questions from the panel before discussion and vote.
McQuillan noted that TSKP Studio has not previously worked with the MSBA, but are partnered with Dietz and Company Architects of Springfield, which has experience with the MSBA on multiple projects.
Recently completed school building projects by TSKP Studio include Victoria Soto Elementary School, a pre-K-2 school in Stratford, CT, and Guilford High School, a building serving 1,100 grade 9-12 students. Future projects include Waddell and Verplanck elementary schools, both in Manchester, CT, New Lebanon School in Greenwich, CT.
Dietz and Company’s local projects include improvements at Springfield’s Indian Orchard Elementary School, the renovation of Springfield’s Sumner Avenue Elementary School, Springfield’s S.A.F.E. School for students with special needs and feasibility and schematic designs for three schools in the Southwick-Tolland-Granville School District.
Next step for the district is to begin fee negotiations with TSKP Studio. When those negotiations conclude, the architect will begin work on the feasibility study. McQuillan predicted that work should begin in early January 2018.