Somerville High School Renovation & Expansion | 81 Highland Ave | Somerville

[Dr. Rosen Rosen]

Looks to me like it's an architectural nod to the columns above the granite stairway on the old high school:
(photo by David Z, on Flickr)

I’d buy that - that’s a good observation.

 

[DZH22]

5/10 From Symmes Arlington

IMG_0891 by David Z, on Flickr

 

[DZH22]

6/18 From Prospect Hill Somerville.

IMG_2108 by David Z, on Flickr

 

[DZH22]

6/18 From Mount Auburn. It's kind of weird being able to pick out a high school as a landmark from all different vantage points.

IMG_2162 by David Z, on Flickr

 

[DZH22]

7/2 From the Arboretum.

IMG_2489 by David Z, on Flickr

 

[Dr. Rosen Rosen]

What a painstaking process. They’ve been at this for a bit now. I definitely feel bad for the hazmat-suit guys.

 

[Dr. Rosen Rosen]

Looks like lots of concrete coming in (pumper trucks out of frame). All that formwork - are those retaining walls or steps of some sort?

Also, the field terracing is coming along, next to the community path.

 

[Dr. Rosen Rosen]

Good progress on the terracing/retaining walls.

 

[RandomWalk]

Have the updated plans, minus the garage, been posted somewhere?

 

[Javier]

 

[SomervilleRed]

 

[SomervilleRed]

 

[Dr. Rosen Rosen]

This will be a cool spot to catch a game, overlooking the T and winter hill.

 

[SomervilleRed]

Assume they are adding glass panels in the 3 gaps in the terrace wall? And the elevator shifted from the corner to the middle. Wondering how they will get ADA-compliant ramps in at each end alongside steps. It looks quite different from the original flyover video. Has anyone seen updated renders?

 

[SomervilleRed]

Future field

 

[Ruairi]

Just wondering if there's any plans to clean up the back of the old building. Is renovating it part of this project?

 

[RandomWalk]

It’s a separate, currently unfunded, project. The idea is to remodel it into more municipal office space, and possible restore the original roof.

 

[chrisbrat]

It’s a separate, currently unfounded, project. The idea is to remodel it into more municipal office space, and possible restore the original roof.

Not being a dick (honest) -- what does "currently unfounded" mean?

 

[RandomWalk]

Ducking autocorrect didn’t like unfunded.

 

[chrisbrat]

Ducking autocorrect didn’t like unfunded.

Thought that might be it, but didn’t wanna assume. That’s crazy - I know/knew what the plans were for that building and was wondering what was taking so long. It’s unfunded?!?! Then why not just leave it be until there IS the money to do the project, rather than partially demo it and leave a big, scarred mess in clear view?