Administrators from the Enfield School District and local officials joined representatives from Gilbane Building Company and JCJ Architects on Sept. 14, 2020, to celebrate the official groundbreaking of the "renovate as new" JFK Middle School renovation and expansion project.

The project includes the complete renovation of 172,406-sq. ft. of existing school space and an 18,610-sq. ft. new addition.

The surrounding school grounds, including the athletic fields, will undergo construction that encompasses a reconfiguration to the bus loop and parking area so that students do not have to cross active vehicular lanes of traffic. Once complete, the new facility will accommodate 1,265 students in grades six through eight.

The renovated space will include 36 general education classrooms, 12 science rooms and 10 special education classrooms, as well as a redesigned hub area that will house the Innovation Lab; a space for collaboration of disciplines such as robotics, design/modeling, material testing/processing labs, storage, and science and technology.

The 18,610-sq. ft. new addition will include innovative art classrooms, a music suite, a 975-seat auditorium with a separate entrance, a 700-seat cafeteria with a full-service kitchen, and a fully enclosed outdoor learning area.

Along with standing non-negotiable safety protocols for minimizing the effect of disruptive construction activities, the Gilbane team adapted to the current COVID-19 crisis by implementing strict health and wellness protocols that ensure the safety and cleanliness of the job site, as well as the surrounding community.

"We're so grateful for the opportunity to partner with the Town of Enfield on this amazing new project," said John Hawley, vice president and Connecticut business unit leader for Gilbane. "This project represents the commitment of the Enfield community to their students and the future of education and we're proud to play our part."

For more information, visit http://www.gilbaneco.com.

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