Foster School Building Project

The School Building Committee awarded the bid to K. R. Rezendes Inc (KRR) last week for the first phase of work at the Foster School for the construction of the new elementary school building.

The contractor began immediately developing the Storm Water Protection Plan which will then trigger the review by the Conservation Commission and Planning Board. This review is expected to take two weeks. Once complete, the site work will begin for Phase 1. We look forward to providing updates on the project throughout the year.

There will be a temporary parking lot established at the front of the building to make room for the access road being developed.

The temporary parking lot is complete. 

The temporary playground is close to completion. 

The new access road is complete.

The Foster School Building Project is well underway in the first phase of work. Here are some highlights of the work completed thus far:

• The temporary playground at the Foster was opened in February, and the school staff is using it for recess, physical education, and after-school programs.
• The building excavation and backfilling is completed. The next step is to continue the work on the retaining walls along the bottom of Otis Hill.
• The School Building Committee, the school, and district leaders continue to work with the architect on the interior design, including floor patterns and color schemes for the interior spaces. The team also reviewed and discussed various designs and equipment options for the playgrounds of the new school building.
• The School Building Committee has begun the process of bidding on the second phase of the project and expects to award the bid later this spring.

IMG_0833

69dfcb715bba3307db0e3fddc98ac95a

224f67a3a6cd49c27fad5136af8775ce

e3f0d33ed334ba6cd5cb3c1455538569

New Building Contract for Phase 2 awarded to Bacon Construction.

The month of July has seen the Hingham Elementary School project kick into high gear! The project has solicited and awarded the Phase 2 (New School) and Phase 3 (Foster Demo & Final Site Work) filed sub-contracts and General Contract to Bacon Construction (baconconstruction.com) as the qualified lowest bidder on May 22, 2023. Bacon has mobilized to the site and began foundation excavation work the week of July 17, 2023. Bacon conducted its first concrete placement on Monday July 24, 2023 and will be working to have concrete placements every 2 – 3 days until the foundations are completed at the end of August/early September. Excavations, concrete formwork, rebar installation and concrete placements are reviewed and inspected by the project team and the Hingham Building Department on a daily basis. Steel erection is planned to begin toward the end of August.

The Phase 1 Site Work continues concurrently to the Phase 2 work, and the Phase 1 General Contractor, K R Rezendes is working to complete the underground utilities, entrance loop road pavement and the retaining wall along Otis Hill on the north side of the site over the next 3 – 4 weeks. K R Rezendes was also selected by Bacon to continue as the site contractor under Phases 2 and 3.

The start of school, the project team will reconfigure the student drop off, bus loop and the front parking areas along Downer Ave to accommodate students and parents to provide functional and safe school operations as the project moves into Phase 2. There will be new signage and vehicle flow patterns so be sure to watch for upcoming information from the Hingham Public School Department and as you access the Hingham Foster School.

It is also important to note that the Town of Hingham will be starting its Downer Ave Water Main Project on July 27, 2023 which will require residents to safely navigate Downer Ave during this summer project. The Hingham Elementary School Project will be working to coordinate it’s utility and road work with the Water Main Project along the project site on Downer Ave as well.

The Hingham Elementary School Ceremonial Groundbreaking will occur on Friday August 25, 2023 at 11 am. The ceremony will be attended by Town officials, Hingham Public Schools representatives, the Massachusetts School Building Authority and Project construction team members.

Phase 1 Work – Site Preparation:

• The Phase 1 work is 90% complete
• All site preparation, tree clearing, and early utility work is complete
• Both retaining walls are 95% complete along Otis Hill
• Tree plantings and grass seeding above the new retaining walls is the only remaining scope. All plantings will be installed during the Fall 2023 planting season (early September to mid October)
• The phase 1 site contractor is staying on as the Phase 2 site contractor, simplifying handoff between phases

Phase 2 Work – New Building and Site Improvements:

• Foundations:
  • Area B (the western section of the school) was completed in early August
  • Area A (the eastern section of the school) was completed this week, on 9.19.23.
• Steel:
  • Area B steel arrived in mid August. Steel is roughly 75% complete in B area.
  • Area A steel is scheduled to arrive next week, the week of 9.25.
  • Steel erection is scheduled to be complete by the first week in November.
  • The first slab on deck placement is scheduled for mid-October in B area.
• MEPs:
  • Underground plumbing work is started in Area B last week.
  • Underground electrical is expected to start in Are B by the end of the month.
• Sitework / Geothermal Wellfield:
  • The geothermal wellfield drilling began in early September. 14 of 80 wells have been installed so far.

Phase 1 Work – Site Enabling and Retaining Walls

• The phase 1 work is ~95% complete
• Both retaining walls are 95% complete along Otis Hill
• Tree Plantings are ~75% complete. Targeting completion by the end of the month.
• Grass seeding above the retaining walls is scheduled for the week of October 23rd

Phase 2 Work – New Building and Site Improvements

• Foundations:
  • Area A is complete.
  • Area B is complete.
  • All foundations have been completed and backfilled.
• Steel:
  • Area A structural steel is ongoing. All erection should be complete in early November
  • Area A steel decking is scheduled to begin in early November
  • Area B structural steel is complete.
  • Area B steel decking is nearly complete. Level 2 and 3 are complete. The roof decking will be complete by October 26th
  • The final steel delivery is scheduled for October 27th.
• MEPs
  • Area B underground plumbing is nearly complete
  • Area B underground electrical work began
• Concrete:
  • Area B levels 2 and levels 3 prepped for concrete pours.
  • The first slab on deck pour is scheduled for October 24th on B level 2 and B level 3.
• Sitework / Geothermal:
  • The geothermal wellfield is ongoing. Well drilling is ~50% complete. 50 of 80 wells have been drilled.
  • The geothermal contractor aims to complete all well drilling by the first week of November.

Phase 1 Work – Site Enabling and Retaining Walls

• Phase 1 work is ~95% complete.
• Both retaining walls are complete along Otis Hill
• Fall plantings are complete. Remaining plantings will be placed in Spring 2024
• Grass seeding above the retaining walls is complete.
• Access road paving is complete.

Phase 2 Work – New Building and Site Improvements

• Steel
  • All steel erection has been completed.
  • Area A steel decking & detailing is ongoing and will be complete in early December.
  • All steel work in Area B is complete.
• MEPs
  • Area B underground work is complete.
  • Area A underground work is ongoing.
  • Area B Overhead MEP work began in November.
• Concrete:
  • All Area B concrete placements are complete.
  • Area A concrete placements will begin in early December.
• Sitework / Geothermal:
  • All vertical geothermal drilling work is complete.
  • Horizontal geothermal piping work is ongoing. The geothermal wellfield should be completed by the end of December.
• Roofing & Exteriors
  • Area B roofing began in mid-November. The Area B roof will be complete in early December.
  • Area B exterior framing began in November.