SOUTH HADLEY — Construction of a new Mosier Elementary School cleared a key hurdle last week, as the Massachusetts School Building Authority approved advancing the estimated $114.8 million project into a schematic design phase where officials will pin down a final cost ahead of an April 2027 town vote.
The proposed plan for Mosier would replace the current building, constructed in 1969, with a two-story school on the existing site at 101 Mosier St. The school, which would serve 590 students in grades 1 through 5, is being designed by Wakefield architectural firm Mount Vernon Group.
In schematic design, officials at Skanska, the owner project manager, will finalize the total project cost to put to vote at April’s town election. The schematic design phase is also when details like the traffic and renewable energy options are reviewed by the Mosier Elementary School Building Project Committee.
This final number is the basis MSBA uses to determine the reimbursement amount for the project. The expected allocation for this project is between 40% and 50% of the total building cost, so a $114.8 million project would mean between $45.9 million and $57.4 million would be covered by the state.
Town Administrator Lisa Wong and Superintendent Jennifer Voyik said the building project is “more than simply replacing an aging school building. It is an opportunity to think strategically about how we serve students from preschool through graduation and to create stronger educational opportunities across the district for decades to come,” they said in a statement.
South Hadley entered the MSBA process to replace Mosier in 2023. The building has not received any major renovations in 45 years, and runs on outdated ventilation, heating and plumbing systems. The town manages an aging facility with drafty windows and uneven floors. It does not have a fire suppression system, and the many entry points pose a safety concern.
“At this point, continuing to defer a comprehensive solution is no longer a responsible long-term strategy for our students, staff, or community,” the statement said.
Most importantly, the lack of space and classrooms for educational services creates consistent overcrowding, which impedes students’ education. The four modular classrooms built in 1998 as a temporary solution to space constraints are still in use today.
During the previous feasibility study phase, the Elementary School Building Project Committee examined eight proposed designs, from a simple upgrade to new construction. Ultimately, its members decided on the option that realigns grade levels by bringing first and fifth grade to the elementary school.
Plans for the project will affect nearly every school building in the district. First grade will move from Skala School, formerly Plains Elementary School, to Mosier. Fifth grade will move from Michael E. Smith Middle School to the new building as well.
If the project is completed, the unoccupied space at Skala School could provide a location for universal preschool for 4-year-old children. The grade distribution at South Hadley High School will not change, but overall grade reorganization opens up the opportunity for an early childhood education vocational program.
Some residents who live in the area raised concerns in the last phase about traffic flow in their neighborhoods. Mosier Street is the single access point for many connecting roads in the area, mixing school traffic, daily commutes and trips to Saint Theresa of Lisieux Roman Catholic Church on East Parkview Drive.
During the Aug. 26 Elementary School Building Project Committee meeting, Chris LeBlanc, an architect with Mount Vernon Group, said the traffic study showed no change in car flow during the afternoon and a 20- to 25-second delay in the morning.
However, the study also indicated poor traffic flow already exists in the area. On an A to F grading scale, traffic from Mosier Street to Newton Street in the afternoon scored a D. The morning traffic was rated an E, and will drop to an F with the new building, LeBlanc said.
The report recommends changing the traffic signal timer from Mosier to Newton Street, adding turning lanes on Mosier or adjusting pickup and drop-off times to compensate for the influx of traffic.
Traffic will again be reviewed at the committee’s Sept. 9 meeting, and members will see the schematic design documents at their Oct. 7 meeting.
“We’re trying to get this as buttoned up and as accurate as possible at this stage, as well as give everyone a clear view of what’s going on,” LeBlanc said.
