Wayland Firm Selected to Design New Hingham Middle School

The has decided on the architectural firm Ai3 of Wayland as the designer for the proposed new

The committee met with four designers on May 18 and 19. Each designer had 75 minutes to give a presentation, and the School Building Committee was most impressed with the designers Ai3.

"The process was a very good one,” said School Committee member Raymond Estes. “I feel good about the result. We look forward to working with Ai3.”

Estes said the School Building Committee chose Ai3 over Symmes Maini & McKee Associates who was the other finalist in the selection process. 

“We essentially made a choice and are negotiating a contract with [Ai3] right away,” Estes said

At last night’s School Committee meeting, Hingham Superintendent Dr. Dorothy Galo said Ai3 spoke about the construction phases in its presentation. Galo said Ai3 planned out the construction of the building and then steps to remove the current building.

Cushing Street resident Dennis Freidman who sat in on the school designer presentations said that if the construction  is scheduled as planned, a new middle school could be completed by September 2013.

The School Committee was very pleased with the work of Ai3. The architectural firm based out of Wayland, Mass., has designed many local schools including Whitman-Hanson Regional High School, Hull High School and Lynnfield Middle School. 

“I’m very excited about the whole process,” said Middle School Principal Roger Boddie. “It makes me wish I had 20 more years to my career.”

Ai3 was also the same group that handled the construction of the new

Earlier this year, the School Building Committee released a statement that said the construction project was completed on time and under budget by more than $780,000. According to the committee, the final audit of the East School project by the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) has been received and approved by the School Committee. The Town has been reimbursed more than $9.5 million already for the state’s share of the eligible construction costs.

At the April 25 Town Meeting, study for replacing , under the Massachusetts School Building Authority’s Model School Program. According to town reports, the school district will expect to receive 30 to 45 percent reimbursement from the Massachusetts School Building Authority for the $50 million to $57 million project.

Plans to build a new school are not definite and the Town will need to plan a special town meeting to approve the construction of the school.