The Science + Engineering Wing Construction Site
and New Pedestrian Paths
The big news on the Park campus is that construction is underway on our new 12,500 square foot Science and Engineering Wing! This is a wonderful development for the Park community! It also means that, for the time being, we will be making some modifications to how we move about campus, where we park, etc.
It is important to share some information about the construction site and the steps we are taking to ensure the safety of the community this year.
ABOUT THE CONSTRUCTION SITE:
- The site will be active between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. each day.
- All construction-related personnel, including suppliers, have specific instructions to not interfere with Park School drop-off and pick-up times. That is, there should be few or no construction arrivals and departures during carpool.
- The construction area is fenced, secured, and marked, and there will be no student access unless scheduled and supervised by Park faculty or staff.
- All construction personnel will have undergone fingerprinting and background checks and will display a sticker/badge to be recognized as a member of the construction crew. Construction personnel will never be out of the construction zone and in contact with our students unless for a planned and supervised event.
Contact:
Dan Schochor
Associate Head of School for Finance and Operations
Pedestrian Pathways
- The walkway along the pond, from the main entrance toward the Athletic Center, now ends at the deck area near the Middle School Commons due to construction. There is no access to points beyond the deck.
- From the main lot, there are two options to get to points beyond the pond deck:
1) Go in the main entrance and follow the Middle School hallway to the atrium exit and join the pedestrian pathway on the back side of the building.
2) Take the pedestrian pathway on the stream side of the pond to the Athletic Center side entrance. - On the back side of the main building, there is a fenced and marked pedestrian path that will lead you from the Blaustein wing, through the Athletic Center Parking lot, and to the back entrance of the Athletic Center near the pool.
Athletic Center Access
and the Athletic Center Fields
The main entrance to the Athletic Center and the courtyard in front of the Athletic Center are now closed.
From the main lot, follow the path in between the pond and the stream to the side entrance of the Athletic Center.
From the back side of the building, follow the marked pedestrian path to the back entrance near the pool.
ID badge/key card entry is required.
About the New Science + Engineering Wing:
With its expected completion by the beginning of the 2023 school year, the building will add over 12,500 square feet of state-of-the-art learning/meeting/collaborating/making space to our facilities.
This is just the beginning of one of the most ambitious projects in the school’s history — creating new spaces and improving existing spaces in support of 21st century learning. This new building is the first step in our multi-phase process — fulfilling the need for larger, dynamic modernized Upper School science and engineering spaces — with more news to come regarding plans for renovations to existing buildings and other initiatives in support of Park’s future.
In addition to the purpose-built, flexible science and engineering laboratories central to the Science and Engineering Wing, a number of features will distinguish the new building, as well as integrate it into our overall campus design:
- Interior and exterior spaces designed to support collaboration and integration among the scientific disciplines. Our science faculty looks forward to the possibilities for “cross-pollination” among the scientific disciplines that the new building will allow, encourage, and inspire.
- Interior and exterior layout/design to improve access to both new and existing campus functions
- Mobility among levels, pathways, ingress, and egress.
- Connection to, and integration with, the main building and the Athletic Center creating ready access and easy flow among the structures; new accessibility to the building through the west side of campus.
- Ready access to new outdoor learning spaces, pond, stream, and woods. The faculty foresees enhanced connection to already ongoing campus field study and longterm research projects.
- Incorporated sustainable design strategies including solar panels, energy-efficient mechanical equipment, low-flow plumbing, and more. The building will achieve Net-Zero energy efficiency, generating at least 100 percent of its energy requirements. The site location, a previously developed space, was chosen in order to minimize impact and preserve our campus greenspace.The principles that support the building’s sustainable operations link to the science and engineering programming in the building itself, providing opportunities for research, observation, and curricular connections on into the future. Our students will have the opportunity to connect with the designers of the building, as well as the construction managers.
Our science faculty has been an integral part of the planning process for the new wing, and with the building’s designers, has helped create a structure that will support their engaging, inquiry-based, expanding curricula.
- Additional square footage will allow for both longterm and large scale science and engineering projects, and includes dedicated engineering and robotics space
- Ready access to outdoors will facilitate engagement in on-campus field study
- The building will serve as a hub for on-campus field study, longterm research projects (e.g. cancer cell studies), and longitudinal studies conducted in Park’s ISAMR (International Student-led Arctic Monitoring and Research) program
- High visibility of longterm science and engineering projects will provide inspiration across science disciplines; will create collaborative opportunities between and among students and faculty; and will engage learners from across all three divisions
As the project moves ahead, we look forward to sharing even more details as well as updates on progress. Please keep an eye on this space! It is an exciting new chapter in our school’s history! Thanks to all who are making it possible!