A rendering of the new Longmeadow Middle School.
Photo credit: Longmeadow Public Schools
LONGMEADOW — June marks the beginning of construction preparation for the new unified Longmeadow Middle School, a job that is expected to wrap up by fall 2028.
The $151 million project brings together the populations of Glenbrook and Williams Middle Schools, coming to around 665 students in grades 6-8. Glenbrook and Williams students will remain in their respective schools until construction on the new school is complete.
The Massachusetts School Building Authority will reimburse the town around $54.8 million, with Longmeadow taxpayers covering the remaining $96.8 million. Voters supported the debt exclusion with a 2,130-1,360 vote in September 2025.
The town released a middle school construction look ahead document on June 5 that will provide updates of the construction as it happens. This document also provided the construction phasing overview from Fontaine Bros., the construction company working on the project, which details what each construction phase will look like through October.
The enabling phase workdays will run from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday to Friday with Saturdays anticipated. Some days also will go until 6 p.m. depending on the schedule.
Early enabling phase work began at the end of May, with the first few weeks primarily preparatory to ensure safe setup around the existing school and efficiency before the larger-scale construction begins in the fall.
The enabling schedule is also planned to complete key access, sidewalk, traffic and temporary circulation improvements before the 2026-2027 school year. The remaining project site utility and demolition work will continue into September and October.
“June work will include site clearing and preparation, including protection of existing trees, removal of existing fencing, stripping and grubbing of topsoil, tree clearing and stump removal,” Fontaine said in its phasing plan.
“Phase 1A” is already in motion and will continue until Aug. 22, with work including mobilization, initial site utility relocations, new driveway construction and off-site Williams Street improvements — road widening, drainage work, fencing adjustments, landscaping and line painting.
The first equipment deliveries and work began on June 8, which included fencing to separate construction areas from public school areas, miscellaneous site demolition, tree removals and police detail for all road work.
Fontaine Bros. also said that off-site sidewalk improvements are a “major early-summer activity,” which includes tree protection, excavation, grading and preparation for new pedestrian improvements.
Construction crews have already marked out existing underground utilities as well, which the town’s release states is a “standard safety step before excavation or site disturbance begins and helps identify the location of buried gas, water, electric, drainage and communication lines.”
A temporary drop-off loop will begin in late June and the existing school modular building will be demolished by the end of summer once vacated.
“Phase 1B” is anticipated for Aug. 24 to Sept. 30, where the new driveway and temporary sidewalks will be finished. Utility relocations and demolitions will also continue. “Phase 1C” is set for Oct 1-30, which closes access to Woolworth Street from Williams Street and completes the final utility relocations at the existing parking lot.
Early fall will see storm drain installation, new waterline work, electric conduits, the underground fuel storage tank removal and the demolition of underground utilities, such as drainage, water and gas.
The town’s construction update document and the Fontaine’s full enabling plan can be found at longmeadow.k12.ma.us/school-committee/middle-school-building-project.
