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Date: 1/9/2024
SPRINGFIELD — A new state-of-the art German Gerena School will be built in Springfield’s North End neighborhood, following approval from the Massachusetts School Building Authority.
On Dec. 15, 2023, Mayor Domenic Sarno and Superintendent Daniel Warwick announced their plans — to advance initial ones — to build a new Gerena School.
The new Gerena School project will bring the total amount invested into building new schools and renovating existing ones in Springfield to over $1 billion — the most in the state.
The announcement followed a Dec. 14 meeting in which Sarno, Warwick and other officials joined with state Treasurer Deborah Goldberg and the MSBA, to discuss the district’s financial and community readiness to enter the MSBA Capital Pipeline plan and feasibility study phase for building a new Gerena School.
During the Dec. 14 School Committee meeting, Warwick shared with members and the public that the district was invited into the eligibility phase for a new Gerena School.
He noted that Springfield has fought for this project for years.
Warwick said, “Seeing a city in Western [Massachusetts] get more MSBA money than any other city or town in the commonwealth, including Boston, is rather incredible and I think it speaks to the great team we have in the city of Springfield,” including the School Committee and support from Sarno.
He also thanked Parks, Building and Recreation Management Executive Director Patrick Sullivan and his facilities team, along with Director of Capital Asset Management Peter Garvey.
“It’s a great day I think for the city of Springfield approaching $1 billion,” Warwick said.
He acknowledged the existing problems Gerena has had over the years.
According to Sarno, the conditions at the Gerena School have been well documented and the operational cost of maintaining the facility is not sustainable for the long run.
“My administration has invested millions into not just the school, but also the tunnel,” Sarno said, referring to the tunnel beneath Birnie Avenue that connects the North End and Brightwood neighborhoods via the school. “However, it is time to build a new state-of-the-art Genera School for our students, teachers and residents in the North End,” Sarno said.
He gave a shoutout to Gerena Principal Cynthia Escribano and noted that she, along with countless others, provided MSBA with a tour of the school in mid-September 2023.
To have over $1 billion, Sarno said, is unheard of.
Because of the financial strength, stability and wherewithal, Sarno said, “[We were] ready to go yesterday.”
Sarno extended gratitude to Goldberg and the MSBA team for their continued belief and investment in the Springfield schools.
“This is all possible and thanks to our sound, prudent and sustainable fiscal management policies that have enabled us to have the highest bond rating in the city’s history, while maintaining a healthy reserve account,” Sarno said.
He encouraged residents to stay tuned as this “important project” for teachers, students and families advances through this initial phase.
Warwick said the investment “underscores our unwavering commitment to providing the best possible learning environments for students. Together, with community support, we are excited to move into the initial phase of building a new German Gerena School and I look forward to witnessing the positive impact it will have on the educational experience of our teachers, students, and families in the North End neighborhood and beyond.”
School Committee member Joesiah Gonzalez thanked Sarno, Warwick and the School Committee for their decision to prioritize Gerena as a top project for the MSBA.
“Numerous individuals have worked tirelessly in the past to organize and advocate for a new school, and now we are thrilled to see our efforts come to fruition. The future project will bring us a community school that will serve as the centerpiece of our North End,” Gonzalez said.
City Councilor Maria Perez said, “The Gerena School project has been a priority for me ever since I served as a School Committeewoman. I want to thank Mayor Sarno and the administration for their efforts in advancing this much needed community school project. We have been working to advance this project for so long and I am so happy to see it start to take shape with this initial phase. This new school project will greatly benefit the neighborhood and our teachers, faculty, students and family.”
In addition to Gerena, Sarno noted that his administration will continue to build new schools and rehab existing schools.