Parents raised concerns about traffic on Walnut Street, where the school will be located.
View full sizeAn artist's rendering of the front facade of the planned new Elias Brookings Elementary School in Springfield.
View full sizeAn artist's rendering showing an aerial view of the planned new Elias Brookings Elementary School in Springfield.SPRINGFIELD — The city has chosen a 3.5-acre site on Walnut Street for the new Elias Brookings Elementary School, set to replace the current building on nearby Hancock Street that was severely damaged by the tornado of June 1, 2011.
During a neighborhood meeting on Wednesday, city and school officials unveiled the schematic design of the new school in the Six Corners area, and said they will address concerns about traffic and student safety.
In addition, officials said they agree with residents that the plans and outreach efforts must encourage community uses of the new building both after-hours and with some programs during school hours.
Approximately 30 people attended the meeting at the JC Williams Center on Florence Street.
Rita L. Coppola-Wallace, the city’s director of capital asset construction, said the city is proposing to purchase land owned by Springfield College along with three homes and a small business to make room for the school. All are “friendly takings,” with the cooperation of the owners, and will need approval by the City Council, Coppola-Wallace said.
The $28 million school project is planned with up to 80 percent reimbursement of costs approved by the Massachusetts School Building Authority plus federal disaster aid still being calculated.
The new school will front Walnut Street, and will be bordered by Marshall and Hickory Street. In addition, part of Melrose Street would be closed to make room for the school property, under the plans.
The project includes a parking lot to the left of the school along Marshall and Melrose streets, and a play area and green space to the right of the school along Hickory. The building will range from one story to three stories high on the sloped parcel, and there will be an open-air, fenced rooftop play area, according to the plans unveiled by the city and its architect, Drummey Rosane Anderson of Newton Center.
Olivia Walter, a resident of Manhattan Street, who has two children attending Brookings, raised concerns about the speed of traffic on Walnut Street.
“As a parent, I need to make sure the kids are safe,” Walter said. “I feel like they are putting safety in a small box.”
Superintendent of Schools Daniel J. Warwick said safety and traffic will be addressed and will be a priority. He said the School Department will review traffic lights, signs and crossing with its safety officer and the Police Department.
Brookings Principal Terry Powe said the school has coped with the use of modular classrooms since the tornado.
The students and staff “are extremely excited” with the pending move to a new school, Powe said.
Neighborhood resident Anne Kandilis said the new school “is beautiful,” but said more action is needed to create a “full service community school” given existing problems in the neighborhood, including poverty.
School Committee members Christopher Collins, Barbara Gresham and Denise Hurst, and Ward 3 City Councilor Melvin Edwards attended the community meeting.
The map below shows the approximate location for the new Elias Brookings Elementary School: