Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
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Construction Site Air Quality
New Driscoll Indoor Environment
- What is the final design summary on the fossil fuel-free HVAC system and geothermal add alternate?
- What is the architect doing to ensure the school will be a healthy environment for the Driscoll community?
- How is the design in relation to LEED, indoor air quality (IAQ), and overall health?
- What is a displaced air system? How is that different from air conditioning?
New Driscoll Project and Timeline
- What are the primary features planned for the new school?
- What are the specifications for the new school?
- What is the Project Timeline?
Construction Plans
- Given that everything is closed, is it possible for the demolition/construction phase to commence sooner? It would be less disruptive to the children, and could potentially complete everything ahead of schedule.
- What is the plan for students and staff during the construction process?
- What precautions will be taken to ensure student, staff, and family safety during the entire construction process?
- Is there a specification in MSBA code or MGL regarding the amount of outdoor square footage required per pupil, and if so, do(es) the proposed construction plan(s) meet such a requirement?
- The location of the construction zone will be in close proximity to the occupied Driscoll School. What measures will be taken to ensure that debris or construction vehicles will be kept out of common outdoor areas at Driscoll? What is the estimated proposed noise impact inside the existing Driscoll school during construction?
- What safeguards will be put in place to ensure that the vacated Old Driscoll building is demolished according to schedule?
- What leeway is there in the budget and building schedule for unanticipated delays?
- What is the possibility of pushing back the Driscoll construction start date so that Driscoll could use the Old Lincoln School starting in 2021-2022 after the high school construction has been completed?
Play Space and Open Space
- Will trees be moved to accommodate the new sidewalk on the North side of Westbourne Terrace?
- How does the design of the new Driscoll School compare with the current amount of play space available at the existing school?
- How will play space be affected during construction?
- When will open space plans be finalized?
Traffic, Parking, and Other Questions
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What is the latest summary of traffic enhancements in the new Driscoll project?
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How wide will the new sidewalk on the North side of Westbourne Terrace be?
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Will the new sidewalk on the North side of Westbourne Terrace be ADA compliant?
- What is being done to understand the impact on traffic, pick up, drop off, and parking with a larger school population? Will there be more staff parking on neighborhood streets?
- What is the role of the Building Committee?
- Where can I find more information?
Driscoll Project as part of a comprehensive townwide approach
- Why does Driscoll need renovation and expansion?
- How did the town decide to pursue the renovation and expansion of Driscoll?
- How will this Three-School Solution solve Brookline’s enrollment and overcrowding challenges?
- In what way is the Driscoll project linked to the Baldwin and Pierce projects?
- What happens if Driscoll goes forward and either the Baldwin or Pierce projects do not?
- What assurances do we have that the Driscoll School building project won’t fail, or that it won’t get “shaved down” to lower the cost?
- What is the final design summary on the fossil fuel-free HVAC system and geothermal add alternate?
Construction Site Air Quality
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How often is the air quality monitored? In what locations is the air quality monitored, and finally, can you please make the sensor data available to the public?
Full-time environmental monitoring of site conditions associated with the localized area of petroleum/gasoline contaminated soil at the southern portion of the project site has been performed during the excavation, handling, temporary on-site stockpiling and off-site removal of the petroleum/gasoline contaminated soil. Environmental monitoring has consisted of monitoring for the presence of airborne dust and for the presence of total volatile organic compounds (TVOC) in ambient air at the site perimeter (fence line).
Consistent with industry standards and DEP guidance, action levels for airborne dust at which mitigative measures will be implemented have been established in the RAM Plan at a time-weighted average of 0.15 milligrams per cubic meter (mg/m3) over a 15-minute duration. The action level for TVOC at which mitigative measures will be implemented is 10 parts per million (ppm) above ambient background. If field perimeter readings meet or exceed the established action levels for either dust or TVOC for more than 15 minutes at a time, mitigative measures will be implemented. We note that to date, while petroleum odors have been present during active excavation and/or handling of the petroleum/gasoline contaminated soils, the action levels for airborne dust or TVOC have not been exceeded. The typical range of TVOC levels that have been detected to-date at the fence line range from 0.1 ppm (ambient background) up to 2 ppm, which is well below the established action level. Additionally, the results of a preliminary DEP Shortform Human Health Risk Assessment indicated that the petroleum/gasoline contamination in soil at the site does not present a significant risk to constructions workers or trespassers that may come in contact with the contaminated soil.
While we acknowledge that petroleum odors around the perimeter of the site are being observed to varying degrees and may periodically present a nuisance to the students and faculty while outdoors for recess in the blacktop area adjacent to the site, the levels of TVOC observed during the PID monitoring of ambient air indicate that the nuisance-level petroleum odors do not present a significant risk to students/faculty or the general public outside the construction site zone.
Photos of the tripod-mounted air quality station (Of which there are two set-up on site daily) and the hand held PID (Photo ionization detector) are attached here and here.
New Driscoll Indoor Environment
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What is the final design summary on the fossil fuel-free HVAC system and geothermal add alternate?
Please see the attached documents regarding the Geothermal Add Alternate.
- Geothermal Q&A - February 4, 2021
- HVAC Fossil Fuel Free Systems Comparison (Building Commission Presentation) - February 9, 2021
What is the architect doing to ensure the school will be a healthy environment for the Driscoll community?
Please see the attached document from Jonathan Levi Architects regarding healthy designs for the New Driscoll School.
How is the design in relation to LEED, indoor air quality (IAQ), and overall health?
Please see the attached document from Jonathan Levi Architects regarding LEEDs and IAQ.
What is a displaced air system? How is that different from air conditioning?
Please see the attached document from Jonathan Levi Architects regarding displacement air benefits.
New Driscoll Project and Timeline
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What are the primary features planned for the new school?
Using preliminary feedback received from community members, neighbors, and Driscoll Staff and Families, the Building Committee has noted the following design criteria for the Driscoll project:
- Appropriate sizes and numbers of classrooms and common areas that meet the Brookline preK-8 Educational Plan goals and standards are the top priority of this project.
- Collaboration, project-based learning, and the arts must be supported by the new school building. Staff and families want to continue Driscoll’s deep and longstanding commitment to the arts. Teachers have highlighted the need for classrooms that are flexible and allow students to work with each other on in-depth and active learning.
- Useable play space is a design priority. The Building Committee has prioritized design options that increase useable play space by decreasing the building footprint and considering a variety of parking options.
- The building should serve as a dynamic community resource hub, one that is used and appreciated by the community, is a welcoming space that helps build community, is accessible to all, and allows all students to feel safe, welcome, and recognized.
What are the specifications for the new school?
School Type
4 classrooms per grade K - 8th Grade
Expanded Services
3 Brookline Early Education Program classes, Special Education (LAHB - Language & Academic Home Base), Native Language Support Program (Russian)
Projected Number of Students
800 (+140 from SY 2018-19)
Total Number of Core Classrooms
36 (+8 from SY 2018-19)
Preliminary Staffing (including Kitchen and Custodial)
125 (+18 from SY 2018-19)
Preliminary Size of School
154,260 Sq. Ft. (+56,260 from SY 2018-19)
The earliest the new school would be built and open is Winter 2023. As of August 2020, the current, best-case project timeline is:
- September 2018: Began Design Feasibility Phase
- November 2018: Cost Estimates and Preferred Design Finalized and shared with Town Boards and Community Members
- December 2018: Town Meeting Approved Schematic Design Funding
- January 2019: Began Schematic Design Phase
- March 2019: Schematic Design Phase Completed
- November 2019: Town Meeting Approved Cost of Construction
- December 2019: Town of Brookline voters Approve Debt Override to Fund Construction
- January 2020: Design Development Phase Begins
- February 2021: Technical Drawings Complete
- May 2021: Construction Commences
- Fall 2023: Complete Occupancy for Students and Staff
- Appropriate sizes and numbers of classrooms and common areas that meet the Brookline preK-8 Educational Plan goals and standards are the top priority of this project.
Construction Plans
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Given that everything is closed, is it possible for the demolition/construction phase to commence sooner? It would be less disruptive to the children, and could potentially complete everything ahead of schedule.
Currently, the New Driscoll School is in its Planning Stage and we do not expect construction to begin before the later portion of 2020. We have just hired a Construction Management Company, Gilbane Building, who will be responsible for the Construction/Demolition Timeline and they will be introduced to the Driscoll School Community soon, where they will detail their initial plans for construction and demolition, all while ensuring the safety and learning conditions of the school's staff and students. The New Driscoll School Building Committee is working with JLA Architects, Gilbane Company, LeftField Project Management, and the Brookline Building and School Departments to find ways to use this time to our advantage, and will continue to look for ways to safely reduce the Construction/Demolition Timeline.
What is the plan for students and staff during the construction process?
Because the Building Committee selected the design that will cause the least impact on the existing school building, students will continue going to school in the Driscoll School building during construction. They will not have to go to an expensive, sub-optimal, or far-away alternative “swing” space.
What precautions will be taken to ensure student, staff, and family safety during the entire construction process?
The health and safety of students, staff, and families are essential during excavation, construction, and demolition. Gilbane has created specific and detailed plans to assure the safety of students, staff, and families in numerous areas including preventing access to the construction site, regularly monitoring air quality, mitigating noise, dust, and contact with construction personnel. Gilbane’s Construction Management Plan (CMP) has been reviewed and approved by the Town.
The Town has done building work with students on site recently, including at the Heath School, as have neighboring communities, and those lessons will be carried forward here in addition to the highest-standard best practices. With respect to neighbors, the Town will follow procedures as it did during the Coolidge Corner School renovation and as it will during the Brookline High School renovation.
Is there a specification in MSBA code or MGL regarding the amount of outdoor square footage required per pupil, and if so, do(es) the proposed construction plan(s) meet such a requirement?
There are no Massachusetts regulations that specify the number of square feet of outdoor space required per pupil. Once the Construction Manager at Risk (CMR) is selected and brought on as a member of the Project Team, they will work with the OPM, Architect, the Town and the School to develop a logistics plan that includes a plan for where temporary outdoor play space will be located throughout construction.The location of the construction zone will be in close proximity to the occupied Driscoll School. What measures will be taken to ensure that debris or construction vehicles will be kept out of common outdoor areas at Driscoll? What is the estimated proposed noise impact inside the existing Driscoll school during construction?
The health and safety of students, staff, and families are essential during excavation, construction, and demolition. Gilbane has created specific and detailed plans to assure the safety of students, staff, and families in numerous areas including preventing access to the construction site, regularly monitoring air quality, mitigating noise, dust, and contact with construction personnel. Gilbane’s Construction Management Plan (CMP) has been reviewed and approved by the Town.
What safeguards will be put in place to ensure that the vacated Old Driscoll building is demolished according to schedule?
The existing Driscoll School will be abated and demolished once the new Driscoll School is occupied. The Project Team is working closely with the Town to ensure this occurs as shown in the Project Schedule. The land area of the existing school is needed to provide play space for the new school.
What leeway is there in the budget and building schedule for unanticipated delays?
Gilbane has developed a detailed construction schedule that provides detail on how activities impact one another throughout the course of the Project. There is contingency built into the Schedule and Budget for activities that require them based on risk analysis.
What is the possibility of pushing back the Driscoll construction start date so that Driscoll could use the Old Lincoln School starting in 2021-2022 after the high school construction has been completed?
The Old Lincoln school is occupied by 9th Grade students while the BHS new construction project at 22 Tappan is in progress. Old Lincoln is not expected to be vacant and ready for Driscoll students in calendar 2021. A review of the feasibility, both functional and financial, for relocating Driscoll Students to OLS during Driscoll Construction is expected to happen late spring/early summer 2021.
Traffic, Parking, and Other Questions
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What is the latest summary of traffic enhancements in the new Driscoll project?
Design Team reviewed enhancements, feedback and approval process on February 4, 2022 SBAC Meeting
How wide will the new sidewalk on the North side of Westbourne Terrace be?
The sidewalks will typically be 5'-0" wide (minimum 4'-8") plus the width of the curb. There will be an ADA complaint clear passing width of 36-inches around the existing fire hydrants.
Will the new sidewalk on the North side of Westbourne Terrace be ADA compliant?
The new sidewalks between driveways will be fully ADA compliant. Typical cross slopes will be 1.5%, and will conform to minimum widths and passing widths for ADA compliance. However as is typical along some portions of Westbourne Terrace, the existing driveways have a cross slope steeper than 1.5%, so the new sidewalks will blend into the existing driveway aprons as smoothly as possible.
Will the new sidewalk on the North side of Westbourne Terrace extend into either the hill or what is currently the street?
This should not be necessary. The sidewalks on the north side will be built along the existing curb line and extend to the existing retaining walls within the Right of Way.
Will the fire hydrants be moved to accommodate the new sidewalk on the North side of Westbourne Terrace?
The hydrants will stay in place and have an ADA complaint clear passing width of 36-inches minimum.
What is being done to understand the impact on traffic, pick up, drop off, and parking with a larger school population? Will there be more staff parking on neighborhood streets?
Given Town Meeting’s expressed priority to preserve green space and promote sustainable transportation modes and the Transportation Board’s desire to see the Town implement a comprehensive Transportation Demand Management for all Town and School employees by the time the Driscoll School project is complete and ready for occupancy, the Transportation Board votes to authorize an expansion of the Driscoll On-street Permit Parking Program to a maximum of 116 on-street spaces to achieve a mode split of 80% employees arriving by motor vehicle and 20% employees arriving by other sustainable transportation modes to be issued at a date closer to occupancy on the conditions that:
- For every 1 on-site space, new or existing, the total number of on-street spaces allowed will be reduced by 1,
- Any on-site spaces, new or existing, be made available for the public during non-school events at the school building or adjacent sports fields,
- Any on-site spaces, new or existing, include at least 1 Level 2 Dual Port EV Charging Station and 15% of all other on-site spaces be made EVSE ready,
- Provide an enclosed bike corral for staff use,
- Provide on-site staff showers, and
- Fully fund and construct the transportation improvements approved by the Transportation Board on March 18, 2019 as part of the building project.
Currently, there are 52 permits for staff to park on neighboring streets and 53 parking spots on site. There will be approximately 20 more staff members in the new Driscoll School than there are now. The Town is also implementing a Transportation Demand Management (TDM) plan to incentivize staff to use public transportation; this is expected to decrease car usage somewhat. The Driscoll Building Committee will weigh the cost of underground parking spots and the desire for open/play space with the need for parking and the impact on the surrounding neighborhood before making a final recommendation on the specific details of a staff parking plan. The Building Committee and School Department staff will work with the Transportation Board on developing a comprehensive plan that considers parking on-site, parking on surrounding streets, including on Beacon and Washington Streets. In terms of cost, each parking spot that is built under the school building costs approximately $160,000 per space. Each parking spot that is above ground typically costs $2,000 per space but would eliminate open/play space.
The Town is monitoring nearby developments on Washington Street in Boston. Unfortunately, Brookline has no control over the scale, parking, traffic, or people flow that will be generated from those sites. As new developments unfold, they will be worked into the process but at this point, there is not much Brookline can do to mitigate as-yet-unknown effects in a process that (unfortunately) is not incorporating our input.
What is the role of the Building Committee?
The Driscoll School Building Committee was appointed by the Select Board in September 2018. The Select Board models this committee after the Massachusetts School Building Authority process for designing and building schools. The committee is made up of parents, community members who live near Driscoll, public officials from numerous Town boards, and school department and Town staff. The Building Committee advises and supports the Building Commission, Select Board, and School Committee on the design and construction of the school, oversees the project budget and schedule, and coordinates with town agencies.
The Building Committee is also responsible for outreach to PSB staff, families, and community members and informing the public about the project’s overall progress during each specific phase of building development. The Building Committee serves for the duration of the project - from the Feasibility Design Phase all the way through construction.
Where can I find more information?
Please see below for a list of additional resources:
Play Space and Open Space
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Will trees be moved to accommodate the new sidewalk on the North side of Westbourne Terrace?
Four trees (one location has a cluster of trunks) are planned to be removed to facilitate the work and provide ADA required 36" clear passage on the sidewalk. While new sidewalk trees in that location have not been proposed, the Project Team will be meeting with the Town’s Tree Warden to review tree removal requirements. The project includes the planting of 185 new trees at the park and playground in addition to new shrubs, groundcovers and grasses.
How does the design of the new Driscoll School compare with the current amount of play space available at the existing school?
The design of the new Driscoll School increases the available total play area from 72,500 sf to 109,500 sq ft. The SF existing vs. new comparison of play, hardscape and field areas was presented in the 6/8/20 Park and Playground Design Review Committee community meeting and are broken out below:” and keep the rest of the response with square footage breakouts.
How will play space be affected during construction?
The new building will be built on the existing field and play areas. During construction and until the fields and play spaces are completed, there will be limited play space available for Driscoll students. Most recently during the construction of the Coolidge Corner School, Lower Devotion students attended school in a converted assisted living center and successfully played for two years on a very contained blacktop area and made the occasional trip to a local park for extended recess. The Upper Devotion students were at Old Lincoln School for three years playing on a paved area on top of the school garage and also going across Route 9 to a playfield.
The current plan for Temporary Play Spaces during the construction of the new Driscoll School Building can be found here while Temporary Play Spaces throughout all phases of the project can be found in the Construction Management Plan (CMP).
Driscoll Project as Part of a Comprehensive Town-wide Approach
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Why does Driscoll need renovation and expansion?
Since 2005, Brookline has experienced historic enrollment growth in its public schools. The K-8 elementary schools have grown by 40% going from 3,904 students in 2006 to 5,482 students in 2017. In particular, some schools have more than doubled their student population in the past ten years. In that time, Driscoll has had the highest growth rate in the district, growing by 67% or 247 students.
Driscoll has “added” classroom space by carving up rooms, converting offices and storage spaces, and adding classrooms in the basement. Teaching is conducted in hallways, former closets, and corners of the cafeteria. Due to this “expand-in-place” strategy, more than 30 classrooms currently do not meet the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) building guidelines, with 18 classrooms exceeding class size targets at PSB. In addition, the building is inadequate in the following ways:
- Classrooms
- Largest middle school class sizes in the district, in some of the smallest size middle school classrooms in the district
- Overall, more than 30 classrooms below MSBA standards, not including learning spaces in hallways and multiple classes in one room
- Indoor common areas
- Undersized cafeteria: 5 lunches starting at 10.30 and ending at 1.00 pm
- Undersized auditorium/theater and gymnasium, and other common spaces
- Nursing area dramatically too small, resulting in medical equipment in the main hallway and serious student privacy concerns
- Outdoor areas
- Outdoor play space inadequate and poorly organized
- Field regularly not usable because of wet or muddy conditions
- Inadequate playground space for Extended Day (can’t get licensed)
- Operations
- The building has never had a complete renovation in its history, and its long-overdue HVAC replacement was postponed
- Environmentally inefficient as a result
- Inadequate operational and custodial space (no loading dock)
- Parts of the main building are bricked-over modulars
- Community Space
- Inaccessible community spaces
- Traffic circulation and drop off concerns
How did the town decide to pursue the renovation and expansion of Driscoll?
On June 13, 2018, after nearly 10 years and four different site selection studies, the Select Board, School Committee, and Ad Hoc Subcommittee of the Advisory Committee approved a comprehensive and long term approach to that will add the classroom capacity needed to provide relief across the entire town. These bodies agreed on a three-school solution that will expand the Baldwin School, renovate and expand the Driscoll School, and reaffirms the decision to partner with the Massachusetts School Building Authority to renovate and expand of the Pierce School.
The Driscoll School was chosen in particular due to the school's 67% enrollment increase from 2006-2017 (the highest percentage of growth experienced out of all the current K-8 schools in the district in the past ten years), the school's inability to accommodate 4-sections per grade with its current infrastructure, and the fact that the Driscoll School has not experienced a full-scale renovation since it was first built in 1911.
How will the long-term capital plan solve Brookline’s enrollment and overcrowding challenges?
The long-term capital plan allows Brookline to address the overcrowding of all of our schools--the substandard spaces and overcrowding that exist in 7 of 8 of our elementary schools--as well as the ongoing enrollment increases, while not overbuilding in either North Brookline and South Brookline. Taken together, these projects will alleviate overcrowding across all of our schools, provide new and modern facilities fit for educating our children in this century, enhance their neighborhoods with new community resources that can be accessed by all, and bring our standards back up to our peer communities (which we are falling behind).
Additionally, the combined impact of these projects reduces overcrowding and class sizes within the South Brookline population and schools at Baker, Heath, and Runkle. The development and expansion of unique PSB programming (such as English Learner Education and Special Education) will also create learning spaces for schools at Lincoln, Lawrence, and other schools. Finally, the project helps the district address town-wide infrastructure issues including students learning in sub-standard classrooms and learning centers. It also alleviates the district’s reliance on rental space for PreK-8 and BEEP classrooms as well as office space for adults.
In what way is the Driscoll project linked to other school building projects?
The three-school solution was developed by a vote of the Select Board, School Committee, and Ad Hoc Subcommittee of the Advisory Committee in June 2018 after many weeks of public meetings and public hearings. These parties agreed that the townwide problem of overcrowding and sub-standard spaces demands a townwide solution, and voted to approve a multi-site approach to provide a comprehensive and long-term solution to address these problems.
What happens if Driscoll goes forward and other projects do not?
If the town can’t address the ongoing and historic enrollment increases and the overcrowding in its elementary schools, then all PreK-8 schools in Brookline will continue to be negatively impacted. It is too early to tell what specific remedies would occur, but it is highly likely that class size would continue to increase across all schools, including Driscoll, and likely, funds will be taken away from core projects in order to rent modular classrooms townwide. While Driscoll would have a modern school for its student population, core spaces in Lincoln, Lawrence, Heath, Baker, Runkle, and Pierce would remain severely taxed by the ongoing overcrowding in those schools. There is no maximum class size in Brookline, however, classes with more students than the School Committee class size guidelines have additional staffing available (e.g., classroom paraprofessional support). Driscoll will be no more disadvantaged than any other school in this scenario.