Belmont's Planning Board OKs Belmont Hill's New Classroom Building

Belmont Hill School will be putting up a new classroom building – the first in a decade – after the Belmont Planning Board gave its thumbs up on the proposal earlier this week.

But the new building – which will face Prospect Street on the school's north east edge – does not signal a rush to increase enrollment at the boys private school,  Belmont Hill officials reassured board members at the Tuesday, July 9, meeting held in Belmont Town Hall.

In fact, the school – which will celebrate the 90th anniversary in September of its first class – is looking to reduce current student levels by a smidgen under the currently level of 434 mostly day students, said Jay Bounty, Belmont Hill's CFO and director of operation.

"We are making a conscious effort to reduce enrollment, he said, noting that when enrollment reaches 450, "our infrastructure is overwhelmed" from classroom space to serving enough lunches, said Bounty.

The 23,000 sq.-ft. brick building, to be named the Melvoin Academic Center, will house 12 classrooms designated for the school's middle school replacing the current aging structure along Prospect Street, according to Eric Haggstorm, the building's architect from the Boston-firm Shepley Bulfinch.
 
The new three-story brick building –which will be built over the demolished existing building – will be adjacent to the 100,000 sq.-ft. Morse Academic Building constructed in 2003. 

The Melvoin will be built as two "lobs": with its height falling so it doesn't tower over the neighboring buildings in the quad, said Haggstorm.

It will house the school's "forum" or grades that include its "homeroom" space, moving students who are currently using basement classrooms in other buildings.

Haggstrom said construction for the three-story structure will begin this coming October and lasting until November of next year. Shawmut Design and Construction of Boston's South End will be the construction manager.

Trailers on the quad for a year 

While the building is under construction, students will be housed in trailers on the Chapel Lawn in the academic quad, said David Nardone from Stantec Consulting, a Boston firm that specializes in landscaping and architecture.  

There will also be significant landscaping performed such as replacing trees along Prospect Street and removing stairs in the quad 

In fact, some initial work has already begun on the site as workmen install new electrical wiring and other infrastructure in addition to cutting down trees.

When asked by a neighbor – Belmont Hill alum Tony Oberdorfer who lives near to the school – why that pre-work was permitted before the Planning Board had heard the case, Chairman Sami Baghdady said the school has the right to "pull" demolition permits without a site plan review OK'd from the board.

Abutter Richard Hesp said his worry was the parking for 32 vehicles that construction and other workers will be bringing to site which is along the edge of his property and others on Tyler Street. 

Baghdady asked for and received assurances that the construction firm will have a coordinator to facilitate any questions between residents, the school and the construction firms.