ANDOVER, MA — Gilbane Building Company has been selected to serve as construction manager for the new, 170,000-square-foot West Elementary School in Andover, Massachusetts. Designed by SMMA, with PMA Consultants (PMA) serving as owner’s project manager, the new, Net Zero Energy Ready facility will serve 130 pre-K and 925 K-5 students.

The new West Elementary School will address growing concerns over an increasing student population within the Andover School District, as well as offer a solution for the town’s aging Shawsheen Preschool building. Both student populations will be co-located in the new educational complex with a separate two-story wing for preschool students.

Set to be built directly behind the existing West Elementary School with less than 30 feet between the new and old foundations, the site is also flanked by three distinct wetland boundaries. The Gilbane team developed detailed site logistics, traffic management, safety, and project phasing plans to preserve parking, outdoor play space, bus circulation, and ensure that there is minimal disruption to school operations during construction.

“Having worked with both PMA and SMAA in the past on similar successful projects, we’re confident that our ‘student and community first’ mindset empowers us to deliver a new elementary school that the district can be proud of,” said Mike O’Brien, Senior Vice President and MA Business Unit Leader for Gilbane.

The new West Elementary School will feature modern, flexible educational spaces that promote student collaboration. Classrooms will be clustered by grade level and positioned around a central learning commons. The school will also feature a roof garden and boardwalks that take advantage of nearby wetlands. West Elementary School is set for completion in 2024.