Tobin Montessori & Vassal Lane Upper Schools Project

This project will provide new facilities for the Tobin Montessori School, Vassal Lane Upper School, Special Start and Department of Human Services Programs preschool and after school programs. In addition, the project provides an infrastructure opportunity to help mitigate street flooding in the neighborhood with the construction of a 1.25 million gallon underground storm water tank on-site. The project is being designed as a Net Zero Emissions Facility and includes renovation of the open space area around the school.

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Noise Variance Notice to Abutters - October 15, 2024

The City's contractor, WT Rich, will require temporary heating inside the worksite this winter. These heaters will run as needed to maintain temperature conditions inside the building. There will be minimal noise associated with these heaters and crews will work to place them in areas that are least disruptive to the community. Please see below proposed locations in red on the bottom of this notice.

WT Rich submitted an application for a Special Noise Variance to the Cambridge Board of License Commissioners (“the Board”). The Special Noise Variance application will be considered at the October 29, 2024 Board of License Commissioners’ Public Meeting at 10:00 a.m., which the public can remotely attend by clicking on the following Zoom link:
https://cambridgema.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_EdQxGl_NQLqqNFJwxAUZvA

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the public meeting.

Public Comment for consideration by the Board can also be sent to noise@cambridgema.gov.

Information and Assistance
To receive future updates via email regarding this project, please contact Kristen Kelleher at kkelleher@cambridgema.gov / 617-349-4825. To view more information on this project, please visit www.CambridgeMA.gov/TobinSchool.

Noise Variance Notice to Abutters - June 10, 2024

The City's contractor, WT Rich, will require temporary cooling and dehumidification units inside the worksite at 197 Vassal Lane. Accordingly, an application for a Special Noise Variance has been submitted to the Cambridge Board of License Commissioners. If granted, it would allow for the operation of generators to run cooling units on an as-needed basis at all hours beginning June 25 to September 30 to maintain temperature and humidity conditions inside the building. The interior wood pieces are beginning to be installed and these cooling units will be vital in preventing the wood from expanding in addition to keeping humidity down. There will be minimal noise associated with these units and crews will work to place them in areas that are least disruptive to the community while supporting the needs of the building.

The Special Noise Variance application will be considered at the June 25, 2024 Board of License Commissioners’ Public Meeting at 10:00 a.m., which the public can remotely attend by clicking on the following Zoom link:

https://cambridgema.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_-OX9WuXeQuSHTCEU3rNaZw

Public Comment for consideration by the Board can also be sent to noise@cambridgema.gov.

Information and Assistance
To receive future updates via email regarding this project, please contact Kristen Kelleher at kkelleher@cambridgema.gov / 617-349-4825.

Construction Update - November 3, 2023

Extended work hours have been approved past 6pm next week on Tuesday, November 7th and Wednesday, November 8th for concrete slab pours/placements.

These dates are weather permitting and subject to change.

Similar work will also need to be performed in the future, but the dates of those extended hours have not been scheduled at this time. Additional notices will be sent once those dates are known.

Equipment is required to remain running during the pour and finishing of the concrete. Wet curing and testing will require a few workers on site but no additional equipment.

Temporary lighting will be set up and will remain on until the work is completed.

Updated Schedule Overview Now Available Under the 'Schedule' Tab - October 24, 2023

Tobin Montessori & Vassal Lane Upper Schools Steel Topping-Off Ceremony Thursday, September 21 at 1p.m.

The Tobin Montessori and Vassal Lane Upper Schools project team is proud to announce a significant milestone in the construction. We invite you to join us for a Steel Topping-Off Ceremony, which will take place on Thursday, September 21, 2023, at 1:00 p.m. The event will be held at the construction site located at 450 Concord Avenue, Cambridge, MA. Guests are kindly requested to enter through Construction Gate #2.

A steel topping-off ceremony is a construction industry tradition that marks a significant milestone in the construction of a building. The ceremony involves placing the final steel beam in its position at the top of the building's framework. Join us in celebrating the dedication and hard work of everyone involved in making these outstanding educational facilities a reality.

Date: Thursday, September 21, 2023
Time: 1:00 p.m.
Location: 450 Concord Avenue, Cambridge, MA
Entrance: Construction Gate #2

Refreshments will be served. Please note that there will be no parking available on site.

Construction Update - July 18, 2023

Beginning on Monday, July 24th, the City's Contractor, W.T Rich, will begin work on the ramp entrance wall. This work will require the use of a crane on the Vassal Lane side of the Alpine Path.

During this time crews will also be working on Concord Ave tying in the water line. This work will begin on Concord Ave and continue along the Alpine Path into the work site.

During this work the Alpine Path will be CLOSED. This closure will remain in place for approximately 4 weeks.

Thank you for your patience as we continue this work.

Construction Update - April 10, 2023

Extended work hours have been approved past 6pm this week on Tuesday, April 11th and Thursday, April 13th for concrete slab pours/placements.

Similar work will also need to be performed in the future, but the dates of those extended hours have not been scheduled at this time. Additional notices will be sent once those dates are known.

Concrete deliveries for these pours will be accessing the site from the Vassal Lane entrance. Police details will be on location to assist with traffic.

Equipment is required to remain running during the pour and finishing of the concrete. Wet curing and testing will require a few workers on site but no additional equipment.

Temporary lighting will be set up and will remain on until the work is completed.

Construction Update - February 14, 2023

The City’s contractor, W.T. Rich, has received permission to extend their working hours over the next two weeks to include Saturdays. Saturday work will involve a small crane within the excavated area in order to complete concrete formwork.

Extended work hours are Saturday, February 18th and Saturday, February 25th 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

There may be additional times during construction when extended hours may be requested. While these working hours are within the construction times allowed by the City’s noise ordinance, we understand this is an additional disruption to the community. It is important that this project remain on schedule and allowing this extended work time ensures that will happen.

We appreciate your patience.

Construction Update - December 29, 2022

The City’s contractor, W.T. Rich, will be performing the third load test on the ground improvements (GCC) on Tuesday, January 3rd. This testing is expected to begin at 2:00 p.m. and take approximately 10 hours to complete.

There is extremely low to no noise associated with this work. The crew will have localized temporary lighting on site that will be located down within the excavated area. The actual work consists of reading pressure gauges every 5-10 minutes.

Construction Update - November 29, 2022

The City’s contractor, W.T. Rich, will be performing the second load test on the ground improvements (GCC) on Thursday, December 1st. This testing is expected to begin at 2:00 p.m. and take approximately 10 hours to complete.

There is extremely low to no noise associated with this work. The crew will have localized temporary lighting on site that will be located down within the excavated area. The actual work consists of reading pressure gauges every 5-10 minutes.

Construction Update - October 18, 2022

As you may have noticed, Kate Riley is no longer with the City of Cambridge. Having worked closely with Kate for the past 3 years, I will be stepping into the community relations role on this project. Although a new name to some, I have been working for the City of Cambridge for over 12 years and have been following the Tobin Montessori & Vassal Lane Upper Schools Project closely. I wanted to take this opportunity introduce myself and provide an overall update on the project.

The City’s contractor, W.T Rich, began ground improvements last week with the installation of a foundation support system. This work involves driving 20’ ductile iron pipe into the ground to support the future foundations. This work can be disruptive at times but is being done inside of the excavated building area which reduces some of the sound. This work is expected to be completed early to mid-December. All vibration and noise concerns are being monitored to be compliant with City ordinances.

Excavation, including hauling soil off-site is well underway to make space for the building’s footprint. Approximately 30 loads are being hauled out of the worksite daily and the remainder will be stockpiled on the Concord Ave side of the site to be reused throughout the project. All stockpiled soil will be handled and stored in compliance with all regulations. Excavation will continue through the end of the year.

Geothermal Drilling will resume within the next two weeks. There are 30 wells remaining to be drilled. The drilling of the wells is expected to be completed in mid-December.

Once the ground improvements are completed, installation of foundation, footings and piers will begin. Structural steel installation is expected to begin early to mid-December.

Regards,
Kristen Kelleher
City of Cambridge

Information and Assistance
To receive future updates via email regarding this project, please contact Kristen Kelleher at kkelleher@cambridgema.gov / 617-349-4825. To view more information on this project such as updates, documents, and more, please visit www.cambridgema.gov/TobinSchool.

Construction Update - Week of June 27, 2022

The City’s contractor, W.T. Rich and their site subcontractor, United Civil, will soon begin preparatory work for the new building. The work site is expected to be very busy beginning in mid-July and lasting throughout the fall.

Beginning in mid-July, crews will begin drilling piles into the ground to provide excavation support for the new building footprints. They will also begin excavating and hauling soil to provide space for the foundation of the new building. Because facilities limit the amount of soil that can be accepted each day, there may be times when it must be stockpiled on-site. All stockpiled soil will be handled and stored in compliance with all regulations.

Crews will take all necessary precautions to safely haul soil from the site and limit dust. Trucks will pass through two wash stations before leaving the site and loads will remain covered.

Beginning in mid-August, geothermal work will resume. To date, 45 wells have been drilled. There are 30 wells remaining to be drilled. This work is expected to last a minimum of 6-8 weeks.

Installation of footings, foundations and piers will begin in September. Structural steel installation is expected to start later in the fall.

Construction Update - Week of May 16, 2022

The City’s contractor, W.T. Rich, has received permission to extend their working hours over the next several weeks to complete the in-situ soil stabilization work.

This work involves mixing the soil and any noise associated with it is from excavator operations. There is no vibration associated with this work.

Extended work hours are Monday-Friday 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

There may be additional times during construction when extended hours may be requested. While these working hours are within the construction times allowed by the City’s noise ordinance, we understand this is an additional disruption to the community. It is important that this project remain on schedule and allowing this extended work time ensures that will happen.

We appreciate your patience.

Construction Update - Week of April 4, 2022

The City’s contractor, W.T. Rich, has received permission to extend their working hours next week to stay on-schedule to complete demolition.

Work hours for next week M-F will be 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday work will involve sorting debris and cleaning up.

Trucking will continue to come into and out of the site via Concord Ave.

There may be additional times during construction when extended hours may be requested. While these working hours are within the construction times allowed by the City’s noise ordinance, we understand this is an additional disruption to the community. It is important that this project remain on schedule and allowing this extended work time ensures that will happen. We appreciate your patience.

Construction Drop-in Info Sessions

The construction team, including City staff and the contractor, W.T. Rich, will be available for questions and comments on-site at the times listed below.

These informal “drop-in” times are an opportunity for neighbors and the school community to ask questions and learn more about the demolition and upcoming school construction. No formal presentation will be given.

We are offering two times and dates in order to accommodate various schedules and to keep gatherings relatively small. More dates and times will be available throughout the project. We will remain outside for the entire time.

Please meet at the walking path to the right of the front entrance of the school- 197 Vassal Lane.

Monday, March 28th 12 – 1 p.m.
Tuesday, March 29th 5:30 – 6:30 p.m.

We look forward to meeting with you in person to discuss this project.

Construction Update- Week of March 7

The City’s contractor, W.T. Rich is expected to begin drilling geothermal wells on-site beginning Thursday, March 10.

This work is being done in conjunction with existing demolition work and will be monitored for vibration and sound.

Geothermal well drilling involves drilling 600-foot wells that will act as a condenser water source for the air heat pumps that will heat and cool the large common areas of the new building. This work is part of the City’s net zero emissions and high efficiency goals for the building.

Drilling of the wells is expected to last until summer 2022.

Work hours are Monday- Friday, 7AM-4PM. Construction of the new building is expected to begin in April 2022.

Thank you for your patience as we continue this work.

Construction Update- Week of February 21

The City’s contractor, W.T. Rich is continuing abatement work in the gymnasium and demolition of the west side of the building.

Demolition on the east side of the building (on the Alpine St. side) is expected to begin in early March. Dust control measures will remain in place throughout the work.

We recognize that this work is noisy and produces vibrations as the excavator takes down the building and trucks move around the site to haul away debris. The team has been closely monitoring sound and vibration equipment. None of the monitoring equipment indicates that the levels have approached threshold limits for acceptable construction levels for noise and vibrations. These thresholds are industry-set standards related to damage to a typical residential home and have been used on all previous school projects within the City.

As previously mentioned, crews will need to occasionally close the Community Path along Alpine St. to ensure safety. We expect this will happen intermittently over the next several weeks. The path will reopen daily at the end of work hours and will be open on the weekends. This work will not impact access to the Bluebikes station at the Concord Ave. end of the path. It will remain open at all times.

Trucking will continue to come into and out of the site via Concord Ave.

Thank you for your patience as we continue the abatement and demolition phase of the building.

Construction Update- Week of January 31

Light demolition is expected to begin on Wednesday, February 2nd with full demolition expected to begin on Monday, February 7th.

Construction Update- Week of January 24

The City’s contractor, W.T. Rich, is continuing with abatement work this week on the second and third floors of the building. They will also begin preparatory work for the demolition of the building.

Demolition of the building is expected to begin on Wednesday, February 2^nd. Crews will begin demolishing the west side of the building (by the entrance to the staff parking lot) and work towards the center. They will then begin demolishing the east side of the building (towards the Community Path/Alpine St.). The final part of the demolition will be the center part of the building.

Beginning Monday, January 31^st and lasting through the end of February, crews will need to close the Community Path along the Alpine St. side of the site during work hours. This is to ensure safety while additional site work is taking place. The path will be reopened at the end of each work day and will be open on the weekends. Access to the Bluebikes station at the Concord Ave. end of the path will not be impacted by this work and will remain open at all times.

This work may be noisy at times. You may also experience vibrations as trucks move around the site to haul away debris. Trucking will continue to come into and out of the site via Concord Ave. Dust control measures will be in place throughout the work.

Sound and vibration monitors will also remain in place to ensure work stays within acceptable construction levels for noise and vibrations.

Work hours are Monday - Friday, 7AM-4PM. It is expected that this work will take 6-8 weeks to complete. Construction of the new building is expected to begin in April 2022.

Construction Update- Week of December 20, 2021

Monday, December 20 through Wednesday, December 22, crews will continue abatement work inside the building. They will be removing contents and separating items for proper disposal. There will be some demolition along the north and northwest areas of the site. On Tuesday, crews will be assembling the dewatering plant.

Thursday, December 23 is a City holiday, but crews have permission to continue working. They will mostly be focused on installing power for the dewatering plant and continuing its assembly. City staff will be on-site to supervise activity.

There will be no construction activity on Friday, December 24.

Construction Update- Week of December 13, 2021

Abatement continues on0site. Crews are working on the interior of the school, removing contents and separating items into respective dumpsters. Trucking out of concrete will continue. This work may be noisy at times and cause vibrations as trucks move through the site.

Construction Update- Week of December 6, 2021

Beginning Monday, December 6, crews will continue abatement of the retaining walls and preparatory work inside the building. They will also continue with demolition of the retaining walls, including trucking out of the concrete. This work may be noisy at times and cause vibrations as trucks move through the site.

Construction Update - Sheet Piling taking place over the next 2-3 weeks

Beginning Monday, November 8th, the City’s contractor, W.T. Rich, will be mobilizing on-site to begin installing sheet piling along the southern edge of the site.

The sheet piling, driving sheets into the ground to mark out the site limits, is necessary to begin the soil stabilization program, which is expected to start at the end of November.

The duration of this work is expected to be 2-3 weeks.

Give Feedback on Public Art Proposals!

Join Cambridge Arts for a virtual meeting on Tuesday, October 12, 2021 at 5:30PM to give feedback and ask questions about public art that four finalists are proposing for the school. For more information including meeting details click here .

Community Meeting Presentation Now Available to View

2021-10-4_TMVL_CMTEMTG-_Final from Perkins Eastman Videos on Vimeo.

Construction Update - 9/28/2021

Crews will continue loading out concrete and asphalt. Dust control measures will be taken. In addition, crews will be performing borings in several locations around the site. Vibration monitoring will remain in place.

The City's tree contractor, Barrett Tree Service, will be on-site on Friday, October 1 to perform their weekly irrigation, weeding and trash removal from tree well. They will also inspect tree protection.

Cambridge Arts to Host Virtual Public Meeting about Public Art

Notice of Public Hearing - Cambridge Historic Commission

Construction Update - 9/23/2021

In the overnight hours on Friday, September 24 - Saturday, September 25, the City’s contractor, W.T. Rich, is planning to move a large piece of equipment offsite.

In order to comply with trucking regulations, this oversized load is only permitted to travel during these hours and will have a state police detail.

The crew will position the trailer in advance so that it can be loaded and towed offsite quickly with minimal backing up in order to limit disruption to the neighborhood. The route, which has been approved as part of the permitting process, will consist of going right out of the site onto Concord Ave. and proceeding through Harvard Sq.

The whole process is expected to begin around 12AM and take less than 30 minutes.

Tobin Montessori and Vassal Lane School Community Meeting, Wednesday, October 6, 5:30PM-7:30PM

The City of Cambridge invites you to a virtual public meeting to discuss the Tobin Montessori and Vassal Lane Schools Project on Wednesday, October 6. There will be a video presentation from 5:30-6pm followed by a Q&A from 6-7:30pm.

The presentation will also be posted to the project page on Monday, October 4, so that residents can submit questions in advance and join the Wednesday, October 6 meeting at 6pm for the Q&A portion, if they wish. Questions may also be submitted live during the meeting.

https://cambridgema.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_lomjcvgWTru8YJemnx8Ymg

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

The project is currently in the Construction Documents phase. At this point, the program, layout, and design of the building and surrounding site have been established. The team is selecting colors and materials. Construction documents are being developed that will provide details and guidance for construction.

The focus for this meeting will be to:

Discuss site safety measures and construction updates as active construction progresses
Go through plans for sustainable building strategies that will be implemented
Review landscape and building design updates

Information from previous meetings including presentations and public comments can be found on under the “Documents” tab on the project page.

We encourage you to tune in as we value feedback from residents and the school community.

Construction Update - 9/7/2021

Crews will continue work on the in-situ soil stabilization as well as the demolition of underground utilities. This work may be disruptive at times, particularly when large trucks are driving on the site. Noise and vibration monitors remain in place.

The basketball court is now CLOSED to the public.

Construction Update - 8/19/2021

Beginning tomorrow, Friday, August 20th, the City's contractor, W.T. Rich will begin demolition and removal of the patio walls closest to the Alpine Path. At times there will be noise from the chipping machinery being used to break down the large pieces of concrete.

Water will be sprayed before and during this activity to keep dust to a minimum. The team will attempt to move the piles closer to the building when possible to minimize the impact on direct abutters, however at times there will be loud noise. You may feel vibration from this activity, however please note all vibration monitors are in place and no alarms have been received by the team to date from any site activity.

Starting Wednesday, August 25th, the team will be reclaiming asphalt around the site, beginning on the bus loop closest to Vassal Lane. There is a large machine that will be utilized for this operation, and it will be loud at times, and you may feel vibration. Please note that all vibration monitors are in place, and dust control measures are being employed at all times.

Beginning Wednesday, September 1st, the basketball courts will be closed to the public. As activity at the site increases, this area will be used for construction vehicles, equipment, and machinery to enter the site via Concord Avenue. This closure will remain in place for the duration of the project.

Activity at the site will continue to increase throughout the summer and fall. As always, the team will continue to work with contractors to minimize disruption whenever possible.

Construction Update - 8/13/2021

Beginning Monday, August 16th, the City’s contractor, W.T. Rich, will continue early construction activities along the Vassal Lane side of the site. This work includes removal of sidewalks, patio walls, miscellaneous site work and drilling test cores.

There may be times when this work creates vibration. Vibration monitors have been installed across the entire site. In conjunction with our geotechnical consultant, CDM Smith, the team has established limits for vibrations. The criteria for these limits correspond with industry standards set to prevent damage in typical residential homes. The monitoring system notifies the project team when vibrations are approaching limits so that the causes can be swiftly identified and mitigated.

Also starting Monday, the team performing the pilot test program for the in-situ soil stabilization and soilcrete wall will begin to mobilize equipment in the fields. Work will begin shortly after mobilization. Dust monitoring devices are installed around the perimeter of the site and will be monitored throughout the project. For a reminder about what the in-situ soil stabilization work entails, visit the 22:45 minute mark of the latest community presentation.

Activity at the site will continue to increase throughout the summer and fall. Dust, vibration and noise monitoring will remain in place and the team will continue to work with contractors to minimize disruption whenever possible.

Construction Update - 8/3/2021

In support of early site enabling, the City's contractor, W.T. Rich and their site contractor will be performing the removal of the exterior patios around the perimeter of the school, and stockpiling this material for disposal. There may be times when excavators and smaller equipment is moving around the site. All precautionary measures will be in place and enforced. This will be taking place over the course of the next few weeks.

All perimeter dust monitoring devices have been installed, and are running. Perimeter vibration monitoring devices are being installed over the course of the next few weeks. Noise monitoring will begin August 3.

In addition, the tree protection is underway and as a part of this there is a truck blowing mulch at the base of the trees. There may be times when we need to shut down the Alpine walking path to support this activity.

Our construction entrance is opening on Concord Ave in the next few days, and Vassal entrance will be utilized by staff and on rare occasions, specialty access will be provided to other contractors. A detail is stationed at both entrances.

Starting August 16^th, our specialty site work contractor will mobilize to the site and begin setting up their insitu soil solidification pilot program equipment. This work will take place within the field over the course of the next month.

Temporary Bluebikes Relocation

On Tuesday, July 13th the Bluebikes Station currently located in front of the Tobin School will be relocated to the northwest side of the community path where it meets Concord Ave.

The new location is indicated below with a blue rectangle.

For information about the Bluebikes program, please visit: https://www.bluebikes.com/

Notice of Public Hearing - Zoning Board of Appeal

June 25, 2021 - Construction Notice

Beginning Monday, June 28^th, the City’s contractor, W.T. Rich, will begin mobilizing on-site in preparation for upcoming construction. Access to the fields and playgrounds will remain open until July 5^th.

Activities will consist of:

Setting up perimeter barricades and fencing
Erosion and sediment controls
Tree maintenance, pruning, irrigation and protection

Trucks will be entering the site via Vassal Lane until the gates on Concord Ave. can be established. This will likely take approximately three weeks. Police details will be on-site to assist in managing traffic exiting the site via Vassal Lane. Trucks will be forced to turn right, against the one way, in order to avoid truck traffic from driving through the neighborhood.

Throughout the month of July, crews will be continuing preparatory work including:

Clearing the site
Disconnecting utilities
Removing underground utilities
Soil stabilization test pilot

As a reminder, the general construction schedule for the remainder of 2021 will be:

Detailed information about what to expect regarding the construction can be found at the 14:42 minute-mark of the latest community presentation.

Information and Assistance:

For questions regarding this work, please contact Kate Riley, Community Relations Manager, 617-349-4870 / kriley@cambridgema.gov.

Presentation to Committee On Public Planting

On Wednesday, June 9th, the team presented to the Committee on Public Planting. The presentation is available in the "Documents" tab.

Tobin Montessori and Vassal Lane Upper Schools- Construction Drop-In Sessions

The construction team, including City staff and the contractor, W.T. Rich will be available for questions and comments on-site at the times listed below. These informal “drop-in” timesare an opportunity for neighbors and the school community to ask questions and learn more about the upcoming school construction. No formal presentation will be given.

We are offering three times and dates in order to accommodate various schedules and to keep gatherings relatively small. More dates and times will be available throughout the summer. We will remain outside for the entire time.

Please meet at the walking path to the right of the front entrance of the school- 197 Vassal Lane. There may be school activities taking place at the front of the school, so please do not go to the front door.

Tuesday, June 8th 5:30PM-6:30PM
Wednesday June 9th 9:30AM-10:30AM
Thursday June 10th 12:30PM-1:30PM

We look forward to meeting with you in person to discuss this project. We will continue to meet with residents during the project, both informally like this and with more formal, larger, community meetings.

The City of Cambridge does not discriminate on the basis of disability. The City of Cambridge will provide auxiliary aids and services, written materials in alternative format, and reasonable modifications in policies upon request.

To receive future updates via email, please contact Kate Riley, Community Relations Manager, at kriley@cambridgema.gov / 617.349.4870

Questions and answers presented at the 5/6 community meeting are now available to view on the "Documents" tab.

Community Meeting Presentation Now Available to View

Community Meeting - Thursday, May 6th 5:30-8PM

The City of Cambridge invites you to a virtual public meeting to discuss the Tobin Montessori and Vassal Lane Schools Project on Thursday, May 6th. There will be a video presentation from 5:30-6pm followed by a Q&A from 6-8pm.

The presentation will also be posted to the project page on Monday, May 3rd, so that residents can submit questions in advance and join the Thursday, May 6^th meeting at 6pm for the Q&A portion, if they wish. Questions may also be submitted live during the meeting.

Register in advance for this webinar:

https://cambridgema.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_zZX8uKBQSaetdrx7SpxqDQ

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

The project is currently in the Design Development phase. At this point, the design of the building and surrounding site is being further refined and initial colors, materials and layouts are being developed.

The focus for this meeting will be to:

Introduce the teams from the City of Cambridge, W.T. Rich and CDM Smith who will be onsite throughout the construction.
Discuss construction impacts including dust, noise, traffic, vibrations, soil management and overall site conditions.
Provide an anticipated timeline for construction activities.
Provide a brief design update

Information from previous meetings including presentations and public comments can be found on under the “Documents” tab.

Investigatory Work Taking Place 4/20-4/23

As part of the investigatory work taking place on site at the Tobin Montessori and Vassal Lane Upper Schools and Callanan field, crews will be on-site April 20– April 23to dig test pits to evaluate existing ground conditions.

This work will be contained to the space in between the two baseball fields. Barriers will be in place to prevent access by the public. The excavated work area will be contained and covered for the duration of the work and the area will be fully restored at the end of the week.

What to expect:

Work hours are 7AM-5PM
Work zones will be clearly marked
The playground and fields will remain open, but please be aware that this work may be loud

Areas will be restored at the completion of the work

Information and Assistance:

For questions regarding this work, please contact Kate Riley, Community Relations Manager, 617-349-4870 / kriley@cambridgema.gov. To view more information on this project such as updates, documents, etc., please visit www.CambridgeMA.gov/TobinSchool.

Please note, the electrical work scheduled for Saturday, January 16th has been reschedule for Tuesday, January 19th.

Installation of Temporary Electrical Power to the Trailer

During the week of January 14th, Eversource will be installing 4 poles along the National Guard Armory and school property line to provide temporary electrical service to the trailer for the duration of the construction. The poles will be installed along the existing tree line and will not interfere with trees, pathways or playscapes. They will be removed prior to substantial completion of the facility.

As part of the work to install temporary electrical service to the construction trailer location next to the Armory, crews will be installing poles and power conductors from Thursday, January 14^th through Saturday, January 16^th. To facilitate this work, the path from Concord Ave to the Tobin school parking lot closest to the Armory will need to closed all day Thursday 1/14, Friday 1/15 & Saturday 1/16. The path that runs adjacent to the property line behind Alpine St will not be impacted.

This temporary service will power the construction site, as well as the construction trailer. Once this temporary electrical service is installed, the generator currently servicing the trailer will be removed.

Thank you for your patience as we perform this work.

The Presentation for the Virtual Community Meeting is Now Available to View

The presentation for the Wednesday, 12/9 virtual community meeting is available to view. To submit questions for the Q&A portion of the meeting, please email kriley@cambridgema.gov

Virtual Community Meeting - Wednesday, December 9th

The City of Cambridge invites you to a virtual public meeting to discuss the Tobin Montessori and Vassal Lane Schools Project on Wednesday, December 9^th. There will be a video presentation from 5:30-6pm followed by a Q&A from 6-8pm.

The presentation will also be posted to the project page on Monday, December 7^th, so that residents can submit questions in advance and join the Wednesday, December 9^th meeting at 6pm for the Q&A portion, if they wish. Questions may also be submitted live during the meeting.

The meeting can be accessed through this link. https://cambridgema.zoom.us/j/85623362624

Or iPhone one-tap :

US: +13126266799,,85623362624# or +19294362866,,85623362624#

Or Telephone:

Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):

US: +1 312 626 6799 or +1 929 436 2866 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 669 900 6833 or +1 253 215 8782

Webinar ID: 856 2336 2624

International numbers available: https://cambridgema.zoom.us/u/kdSch2qnvr

This is the third Schematic Design Meeting for the project. The focus for this meeting will be:

An update on the design
An update on the traffic plan
Status of the public art process

Comments and responses received so far in the process can be found on the project page under the “Documents” tab – www.cambridgema.gov/TobinSchool.

We encourage you to tune in as we value feedback from residents and the school community.

Information about Public Art at Tobin and Vassal Lane Upper Schools

The City of Cambridge is seeking artists to create a major public artwork outside the city’s new Tobin Montessori and Vassal Lane Upper Schools complex, as part of a reconstruction of the educational and community hub at 197 Vassal Lane. We invite artists to submit qualifications—images of past work and biographical information—to be considered for the commission. Proposals will be made available to the public for feedback.

In addition, we will be seeking members of the school and neighborhood community interested in participating in the selection process. Four artists/finalist will be invited to develop public art proposals. Final selection of one proposal will be made by a Selection Committee that will include members of the school and community.

For more details about the project and information about how artists can submit qualifications, please click here.

For other questions, please contact Hilary Zelson, at hzelson@cambridgema.gov or 617-349-4388.

The Presentation for the Virtual Community Meeting is Now Available to View

The presentation for the Wednesday, 9/23 virtual community meeting is available to view. To submit questions for the Q&A portion of the meeting, please email kriley@cambridgema.gov

Virtual Community Meeting, Wednesday 9/23, 5:30pm-8pm

The City of Cambridge invites you to a virtual public meeting to discuss the Tobin Montessori and Vassal Lane Schools Project on Wednesday, September 23. There will be a video presentation from 5:30 - 6:00pm followed by Q&A from 6 - 8pm.

The presentation will also be posted to the project page on Monday, September 21st, so that residents can submit questions in advance and join the Wednesday, September 23rd meeting at 6pm for the Q&A portion, if they wish. Questions may also be submitted live during the meeting.

To join from a PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone or Android device:
Please click this URL to join. https://cambridgema.zoom.us/s/92501881658

Or join by phone: Dial (for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
US: +1 312 626 6799 or +1 929 436 2866 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 669 900 6833 or +1 253 215 8782
Webinar ID: 925 0188 1658
International numbers available: https://cambridgema.zoom.us/u/acBzq5BAcZ

This is the second Schematic Design Meeting for the project. The focus for this meeting will be on the school site, including:

The community path
Site circulation
Preliminary traffic study plans
Preliminary information from the Shadow Study

The Schematic Design Phase allows the team to provide better-informed responses to questions about traffic, open space, cost, and handling of hazardous soils. This does not indicate this is the final design. Community meetings will continue to be held during this process so that we can continue to receive feedback and refine the design. We encourage the community to provide feedback as we go through the Schematic Design Phase. Please submit comments to kriley@cambridgema.gov or citymanager@cambridgema.gov.

Comments and responses received so far in the process can be found on the project page under the “Documents” tab – www.cambridgema.gov/TobinSchool.

We encourage you to tune in as we value feedback from residents and the school community.

Playground closed 9/15-9/17

The playground will be CLOSED beginning Tuesday September 15, while crews complete installation of a geotechnical test well that is part of investigatory work for the reconstruction of the Tobin Montessori and Vassal Lane Upper School.

The playground must remain closed during this work for safety reasons. It is expected to reopen at the end of the day on Thursday, September 17^th.

Geothermal well testing taking place 9/1-9/3

As part of the investigatory work taking place on site at the Tobin Montessori and Vassal Lane Upper Schools and Callanan playground, crews will need to use a generator to run a conductivity test on the geothermal test well.

This generator will be located between the ball fields and will run continuously from Tuesday, September 1 through Thursday, September 3^rd at 4PM.

Thank in advance for your patience as we work to complete this important testing.

The Presentation for the Virtual Community Meeting is Now Available to View

This presentation is also running on the City's television network, Cambridge Community Television- CCTV (https://www.cctvcambridge.org/schedule). To submit questions for the Q&A portion of the meeting, please email kriley@cambridgema.gov

Virtual Community Meeting - Wednesday, July 29th, 5:30-8pm

The City of Cambridge invites you to a virtual public meeting to discuss the Tobin Montessori and Vassal Lane Schools Project on Wednesday, July 29th. There will be a video presentation from 5:30 - 6:00 pm followed by Q&A from 6 - 8 pm.

The presentation will also be posted to the project page on Monday, July 27th so that residents can submit questions in advance and join Wednesday, July 29th meeting at 6pm for the Q&A portion, if they wish. Questions may also be submitted live during the meeting.

The meeting can be accessed through this link: https://cambridgema.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_erWQkPZOTa-xno8g77TWjA

Public access phone numbers:
Dial (for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
US: +1 929 436 2866 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 312 626 6799 or +1 669 900 6833 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 346 248 7799
Webinar ID: 965 6641 0675

Information will be presented by the City’s architect, Perkins-Eastman, and City officials and will include:

Explaining the significance of the Schematic Design Phase
Addressing the impacts of COVID-19 on the project design and schedule
Highlighting developments in site and building design
Detailing ways to continue engaging the public for feedback and questions as we move through this phase

Entering the Schematic Design Phase allows the team to provide better-informed responses to questions about traffic, open space, cost, and handling of hazardous soils.

This does not indicate this is the final design. Additional community meetings will be held during this process so that we can continue to receive feedback and refine the design.

We encourage the community to continue to provide feedback as we go through the Schematic Design Phase. Please submit comments to kriley@cambridgema.gov or citymanager@cambridgema.gov.

Comments and responses received so far in the process can be found on the project page under the “Documents” tab at www.cambridgema.gov/TobinSchool.

We encourage you to tune in as we value feedback from residents and the school community.

Update on Investigatory Work- Geothermal Test Well Work to Begin 7/21

As part of the investigatory work taking place on site at the Tobin Montessori and Vassal Lane Upper Schools and Callanan playground, crews will be on-site Tuesday, July 21^st to begin work on the Geothermal Test Wells. These geothermal test wells will provide information on cooling and heating capacity savings potential from using this type of system.

These two work sites will each take two weeks to complete, including set-up, installation, testing and restoration. Work will be done on one site at-a-time. Once complete, the area will be fully restored in time for the opening of the 2020/2021 school year.

What to expect during this work:

Work hours are 7AM-5PM
Work zones will be clearly marked
The playground will remain open whenever possible, but may be subject to closure due to safety and noise
Fields will remain open
Areas will be restored at the completion of the work

Information and Assistance:

July 7, 2020: Feasibility Study now available to view

A presentation detailing the Feasibility Study for the Tobin Montessori and Vassal Lane Upper School has been below. The full feasibility study can be accessed under the “Documents” tab.

This presentation includes:

A message from the City Manager, Louis DePasquale
A review of the goals of the Feasibility Study
A review of the changes made to the project proposal based on community feedback, including:
- A reduction in the size of the school population
- A reduction in the overall building size
- An increase in the open space and a greater connectivity to the proposed open space
A review of the project design schedule
A review of building and site elements of the Preferred Option- Crossroads
An explanation of the cost estimate
Details about next steps

A community meeting will be held remotely in the next few weeks to give residents an opportunity to learn more about the next step in the process- the Schematic Design Phase. More information about the meeting will be provided once details are finalized.

We look forward to continuing to engage the community as move through the stages of this project. Your feedback is always welcome and can be sent to citymanager@cambridgema.gov or kriley@cambridgema.gov.

Information and Assistance:

Additional Information: Investigatory work taking place in the school and adjacent Callanan Field.

We wanted to follow up on our previous communication to provide additional details about the subsurface investigatory work taking place at the Tobin Montessori and Vassal Lane Upper School and the adjacent Callanan Field beginning Monday, July 6^th.

What is “investigatory work”?

This work involves 6-inch diameter borings into the soil to retrieve subsurface information that will help inform the design of the school. Each RED bullseye and GREEN dot indicated on the map is one location for a soil boring. A crew will work with a drill rig at one location per day. There are also two ORANGE dots on the map. These mark the location of geothermal test wells that will provide information on cooling and heating capacity savings potential from this type of system. Digging will take 4-5 days at these two locations.

Does this work mean that construction is starting at the school?

No, This work does not indicate the start of construction of the new school. The team is just entering the Schematic Design phase of the project and will spend the next 6 months beginning building and site design, choosing structure and mechanical systems and performing several traffic studies. The community will be engaged several times throughout this process, including later this month. More details about this community meeting will be forthcoming.

Will this work be noisy?

Loud noise and vibration are associated with this work; however, it will not be constant throughout the day. This type of work was done last July with minimal disruption to the neighborhood.

Will we still have access to the fields and playgrounds?

Field locations will be done first and restored to safe conditions in order to accommodate baseball play beginning Saturday, July 11^th. For safety, the large playground behind the school will be closed during work hours for 1-2 days while crews work on the test pit location inside the playground. The tot lot will remain open, but it will be loud and visitors should use caution when navigating the area.

Information and Assistance:

Investigatory work taking place in the school and adjacent Callanan Field.

As part of the process to redevelop the Tobin and Vassal Lane Upper Schools, the City’s consultant, CDM Smith will be performing additional investigatory work on-site beginning the week of July 6th. This work is anticipated to last through the summer. Work hours are 7AM-5PM.

This work will include drilling test pits in several locations in the school and on Callahan Playground and will provide the team with information about the building systems and foundations. The test pits in the field will be done first so that access can be restored for use by the community in August and September.

Traffic and street parking will not be impacted, but it will be loud at times.

Test pit locations can be found below, marked with RED bullseyes, and ORANGE and GREEN dots.

For safety, the large playground behind the school will be closed during work hours for 2-3 days while crews work on the test pit location inside the playground. The tot lot will remain open, but it will be loud and visitors should use caution when navigating the area.

Information and Assistance:

The following email was sent on May 19, 2020

Dear Tobin Community,

Since we last gathered as a community on February 12th to discuss the Tobin Montessori and Vassal Lane Upper Schools project, our lives have changed considerably due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We wanted to provide you with an important update regarding the impacts this event has had on the timeline of the project.

Due to unforeseeable impacts caused by the Commonwealth’s COVID-19 shutdown of non-essential services, the relocation of the Tobin school from its current location to the Longfellow School on Broadway and the relocation of the Vassal Lane Upper school to the Kennedy Longfellow on Spring Street have been postponed until the December 2020 school vacation. The opening of the reconstructed school has been changed to January 2025.

While the project team has made good progress on the feasibility study and the evaluation of the preferred option, some aspects of the project have not been able to safely progress amid the Governor’s Stay-at-Home Order.

As a reminder, the community process to date has included the following topics, all of which can be found on the project page:

Geotechnical and environmental information
Brainstorming sessions on several topics including traffic, programming and construction impacts
Presentation of Conceptual Design Options
Programming information
Community feedback responses
Presentation of a Preferred Option
Responses to feedback and comments about the Preferred Option.

Once the preferred option is decided, the project will move to the “Schematic Design Phase,” allowing the team to provide better-informed responses to questions about traffic, open space, cost, and handling of hazardous soils. This does not indicate this is the final design. We are evaluating ways to safely engage the community during this process so that we can continue to receive feedback and refine the design.

We encourage the community to continue to provide feedback as we go through the Schematic Design Phase. Please submit comments to kriley@cambridgema.gov or citymanager@cambridgema.gov.

Community Meeting Notice: Tobin Montessori and Vassal Lane Upper School

The City of Cambridge invites you to a public meeting to discuss the Tobin Montessori and Vassal Lane Schools Project on Wednesday, February 12th, 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Tobin School Auditorium. This will be the fifth community meeting to discuss the project. Previous meetings included geotechnical and environmental discussions, brainstorming sessions, presentation of conceptual design options, programming information and community feedback response. At this meeting, the City’s architect, Perkins-Eastman, and City officials will be:

Responding to the comments received since the last community meeting on 1/16
Presenting a preferred option
Answering questions and listening to feedback and comments in order to refine the preferred option and location

Selecting a preferred option as the project moves into the “Schematic Design Phase”, allows the team to provide better-informed responses to questions about traffic, open space, cost, and handling of hazardous soils. This does not indicate this is the final design. Additional community meetings will be held during this process so that we can continue to receive feedback and refine the design. We encourage the community to continue to provide feedback as we go through the Schematic Design Phase. Please submit comments to kriley@cambridgema.gov or citymanager@cambridgema.gov .

Comments and responses received so far in the process can be found on the project page under the “Documents” tab – www.cambridgema.gov/TobinSchool .

We encourage you to attend as we value feedback from residents and the school community.

Comments and responses received 11/13/2019-1/16/2020 have been posted to the "Documents" tab of this page.

Community Meeting Notice: Tobin Montessori and Vassal Lane Upper School

The City of Cambridge invites you to a public meeting to discuss the Tobin Montessori and Vassal Lane Schools Project on Thursday, January 16th, 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Tobin School Auditorium - 197 Vassal Lane.

This will be the fourth community meeting to discuss the reconstruction of the Tobin Montessori and Vassal Lane Upper School. Previous meetings included geotechnical and environmental discussions, brainstorming sessions and presentation of conceptual design options.

At this meeting, the City’s architect, Perkins-Eastman, and City officials will be:

Reviewing the comments received
Discussing the programming needs of the school community
Discussing the traffic management plans and reviewing traffic data
Presenting design revisions based on the comments received
Reviewing the design schedule and next steps

Community members are invited to continue to submit comments as part of the community process until January 3^rd. Comments can be submitted to kriley@cambridgema.gov or citymanager@cambridgema.gov. Community member will also have an opportunity at the meeting to ask questions, provide feedback and share ideas. We encourage you to attend as we value feedback from residents and the school community.

Information and Assistance

To receive future updates via email regarding this project, please contact Kate Riley at kriley@cambridgema.gov / 617-349-4870. To view more information on this project such as updates, documents, and more, please visit www.cambridgema.gov/TobinSchool.

Public comment period extended to Friday, January 3rd.

Please send all comments to kriley@cambridgema.gov. Comments will be submitted to the project team and posted to the site. Responses will be updated as they become available.

Presentation from the 12/2 Round Table Discussion has been added to the "Documents" tab

Public Comments Added

Public comments received both at the 11/13 meeting and via email after the meeting have been posted to the site. Under the "Documents" tab, you will find the comments compiled into categories and the responses that have been given so far. PLEASE NOTE: not all comments have a response. This is a living document that will be update as we receive comments from the appropriate entity.

A new tab has been created call "Public Comments" that will contain all of the emails that we've received from the public regarding the project.

The following email was sent on Thursday, November 14th.

Thank you to all who attended the meeting last night. It was great to see such a large turnout from the school community and the neighborhood. We received a tremendous amount of helpful feedback from the various breakout groups that will help inform the design of the project and the decision-making process.

We are committed to providing additional opportunities, both formal and informal, to offer feedback and ask questions with both the school community and the public. We are planning to schedule an additional community meeting in December or January to further review the three design options, along with the feedback we have received.

Details about these opportunities will be forthcoming once they have been scheduled.We hope you can attend to continue the discussion of Tobin Montessori and Vassal Lane Upper School Reconstruction.

In the meantime, the documents presented at the meeting are available on the project page under the “Documents” tab. Once all of the comments have been compiled, they will be available for review on the project page.

Please send your comments, questions or feedback to Kate Riley – kriley@cambridgema.gov who will ensure they are submitted as part of the community process. The public comment period will be open until December 15.

Community Meeting Notice: Tobin Montessori and Vassal Lane Upper Schools

The City of Cambridge invites you to a public meeting to discuss the Tobin Montessori and Vassal Lane Schools Project on Wednesday, November 13^th, 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Tobin School Auditorium. Childcare will be provided.

The City’s architect, Perkins-Eastman, and City officials will be presenting the community with three conceptual design options for the Tobin Montessori and Vassal Lane Schools.

Community members will have an opportunity to ask questions, provide feedback and share ideas about these design options. We encourage you to attend as we value feedback from residents and the school community.

Information and Assistance:

To receive future updates via email regarding this project, please contact Kate Riley at kriley@cambridgema.gov / 617-349-4870.

July 9, 2019

As part of the process to redevelop the Tobin and Vassal Lane Upper Schools, the City’s consultant, CDM Smith will be performing additional investigatory work on-site beginning the week of July 22^nd. This work is anticipated to last for up to 10 days. Work hours are 7AM-5PM.

This work will include drilling test pits in three locations at the back of the school and on Callahan Playground as part of the feasibility study (see image below). No decisions have been made about the location of the school, but these subsurface investigations will aid the architects, Perkins Eastman, as they develop design options for the school. Each test pit is expected to take 2-3 days.

Traffic and street parking will not be impacted, but it will be loud at times.

For safety, the large playground behind the school will be closed during work hours for 2-3 days while crews work on the test pit location at the entrance to the playground. The tot lot will remain open, but it will be loud and visitors should use caution when navigating the area.

Coordination with the Department of Human Services and the Parks Department has ensured that there will be no interruption to playground use for camps and scheduled field use.

Information and Assistance:

May 30, 2019

All of the feedback received from the April 30th meeting has been posted under the “Documents” tab of this project page.

The documents are:

Community Feedback Responses_04302019: this document is a summary of all of the questions and feedback that was given during the meeting categorized by topic. The questions and comments are listed in black text and the responses from the team are listed in red text.
Pictures of Feedback Boards: at the meeting, breakouts were formed by topic and questions and comments were gathered. These are the pictures of the boards for each breakout group showing each individual piece of feedback given.
Parks Playgrounds Landscape and Storm Water Feedback Board: an aerial image of the site that was marked up by the Parks, Playgrounds, Landscape and Storm Water breakout group.
NEW TOBIN LETTER: written feedback submitted on 5/1 by a member of the community.

Thank you to all who attended and provided thoughtful feedback. This is an important part of the feasibility work that is taking place now in advance of the design stage. We look forward to reconvening in the fall to present a minimum of three design options to the community.

The presentation from the April 30th Community Meeting can now be found under the "Documents" tab.

Information for Neighbors & Community Members

April 16, 2019: Notice: Tobin Montessori and Vassal Lane Upper School - Community Meeting

The City of Cambridge invites you to a public meeting to discuss the Tobin Montessori and Vassal Lane Schools Project on Tuesday, April 30th from 6:30PM-8PM at the Tobin School Cafeteria.

This meeting will be an opportunity for residents to meet the design team from Perkins Eastman and to learn about the investigatory work they’ve done so far. In addition, residents will have the opportunity to break into small groups to brainstorm and provide feedback.

We encourage you to attend, to learn more about the project, ask questions and provide feedback to the City as we continue the process of redesigning the Tobin Montessori and Vassal Lane Schools. We look forward to working with residents and the school community throughout the project.

Information and Assistance

February 28, 2019

On Tuesday, February 26th, the City Council and School Committee held a round table/working meeting to discuss plans for the Tobin/VLUS school design and construction process. To view that meeting, please click here.

January 29, 2019

On Tuesday, February 26th at 5:30PM there will be a Roundtable/Working Meeting between the City Council and the School Committee for the purpose of discussing plans for the Tobin Montessori and Vassal Lane Schools design and construction process. This meeting will be televised. Please see "Documents" tab for more information.

Information for Neighbors & Community Members

January 25, 2019: Notice: Tobin Montessori and Vassal Lane Upper School - Community Meeting

The City of Cambridge invites you to the first public meeting to discuss the Tobin Montessori and Vassal Lane Schools Project on Wednesday, February 6th from 6:30PM-8PM at the Tobin School Auditorium.

This initial meeting will be an opportunity for residents and the school community to learn more about the site’s history, the current subsurface geotechnical and environmental conditions and the implication of these factors on design, soil remediation and reconstruction. The City’s Licensed Site Professional (LSP) and geotechnical consultant, CDM/Smith, will present findings from initial exploratory efforts that have taken place over the past 18 months and discuss how this information relates to the design strategies and construction process.

At this meeting the City will also be introducing the selected architect for the project, Perkins Eastman, who also was the designer of the Dr. Martin Luther King Lower School and Putnam Avenue Upper School.

We encourage you to attend, to learn more about the project, ask questions and provide feedback to the City as we begin the process associated with the reconstruction of the Tobin Montessori and Vassal Lane Schools. We look forward to working with residents and the school community throughout the project.

December 4, 2018

The Selection Committee has chosen Perkins Eastman architect firm for the design of the Tobin School. They were the highest ranked firm of the five firms interviewed and will now prepare a Feasibility Study proposal fee for the project. Perkins Eastman was the architect firm for the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Putnam Ave Upper Schools.

August 23, 2018

Over the past several months, the City has been conducting a geotechnical and environmental investigation at 197 Vassal Lane in preparation of the construction of the Tobin Montessori and Vassal Lane Upper Schools, and the Department of Human Services Programs.

Since the location of both the existing school and field was a former clay pit that was used as a municipal dump site, the school and field are regulated under the Massachusetts Contingency Plan (MCP). There is a Permanent Solution on the property with an Activity & Use Limitation (AUL) supporting its current use as a school and playground.

We were asked by the School Department to specifically consider whether it is feasible (or advisable) for the students to stay in the existing school during construction (as a “no-swing” space alternative). Our environmental consultants, CDM Smith, investigated this request and have provided a recommendation based on their results.

The conclusion of the analysis is a recommendation that students be relocated to a swing space so that the building is unoccupied during construction. This is based first and foremost on safety and public health concerns for students remaining within the site limits where remediation activities are being conducted associated with the former dump site. There are also additional impacts that may make it difficult for students to remain in the existing building. These are outlined in the summarizing memorandum under the "Documents" tab.

We are currently finalizing the complete report on the geotechnical and environmental investigation. When the report is complete, we will be scheduling a public meeting.

The next steps for the complex are to select a design team for the project and to conduct a feasibility study, understanding program needs, evolving siting options, and estimated costs in order to make a recommendation on the preferred alternative for the school. In the feasibility study, we expect to evaluate renovations to the existing facility or a portion thereof, or demolish and reconstruct on the existing location or in the field area. The designer selection process will begin in September.

July 11, 2017

As part of the process to redevelop the Tobin and Vassal Lane Upper Schools, a Concept Plan of a school layout shall be performed to determine the siting options to construct a new school facility. No decisions have been made on the location of the school, however geotechnical and environmental services are required to evaluate all siting options. These services will provide data for the future designer (architect) to evaluate all site options during a forthcoming Feasibility Study.

Generally, data will be collected by drilling test borings at key locations on the site, and shall include installation of groundwater monitoring wells to characterize and evaluate impacted groundwater and establish seasonal water elevation fluctuations. Environmental soil and groundwater analytical samples will be collected to evaluate the challenges of removal and/or capping of waste materials, and to evaluate how to remediate groundwater issues related to vapor intrusion during active construction and dewatering activities.

It is anticipated that this work will be completed by mid-year 2018.

In the coming weeks, you will begin to see activity in and around the Callanan Field area to perform environmental and site assessments. We expect to have these results later this summer and plan to schedule a community meeting in the fall to discuss the findings, next steps for the project, and solicit feedback from stakeholders.

While no decisions about the future Tobin and Vassal Lane Upper Schools project, location, design, etc. have been made at this time, we encourage stakeholders to begin their involvement in the planning process by visiting the project website at www.CambridgeMA.gov/TobinSchool and signing up for our email distribution list for announcements and updates under the “Contact” tab on the project page.

Information and Assistance:
To receive future updates via email regarding this project, please contact Dan Riviello at driviello@cambridgema.gov or 617.349.4825. To view more information on this project such as updates, documents, etc., please visit www.CambridgeMA.gov/TobinSchool.

The Cambridge Public Schools’ Innovation Agenda will result in the creation new upper school campuses serving students in grades 6 to 8. The Tobin and Vassal Lane Upper Schools, located at 197 Vassal Lane, Cambridge, will be the third school to be redesigned.

The timeline below has been updated as of October 2023

To view a larger version of the schedule overview click here

The timeline below has been updated as of May 6, 2020

Spring 2021: Design Development and site investigations

Summer 2021: Mobilization, perimeter fencing, tree protection, monitoring equipment installation, soil remediation preparations.

Fall 2021: installation of water storage tank, geothermal wells, abatement and demolition

January 2022- September 2025: Construction

March 16, 2021: The project team is currently working with the schools to provide an updated time for students to move out of the building and construction to begin. Once available, the new schedule will be provided to the community.

The timeline below has been updated as of July 1, 2020

July 2020: The feasibility study has been completed (see Documents tab for full study and associated document). Initial investigatory work begins.

Summer 2020-Fall 2020: Schematic Design Phase

Fall 2020-Spring 2021: Design Development and site investigations

December 2020: Students move out to swing spaces

Spring 2021-December 2024: Construction

January 2025: Anticipated school opening

The Cambridge Public Schools’ Innovation Agenda will result in the creation of four new upper school campuses serving students in grades 6 to 8. The Tobin and Vassal Lane Upper Schools, located at 197 Vassal Lane, Cambridge, will be the third school to be redesigned.

07282020_Jan Devereux

07292020_Jay Yesselman

07292020_Lynne Carvalho Adamian

07292020_Joy Hackel

07292020_Jodie Siegel

07292020_Jodie Siegel_2

07292020_Dianne Cormier

07292020_Phyllis Simpkins

05202020_Peter Sturges

04062020_Jan Devereux

03312020_Jan Devereux

02282020_Jan Devereux