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Madison Park Technical Vocational High School

We’re expanding and reinvigorating Madison Park School Vocational High School.

Our investments in Madison Park Technical Vocational High School must reflect that the school opens doors not only for Boston’s young people but also supports the economic vitality of our entire City. In 2022, we launched a programming study to rebuild an educational complex on Malcolm X Boulevard in Roxbury that is equipped to prepare Boston youth and adults for exciting careers in technical and vocational fields, including emerging green-sector jobs. We are working with New Vista Design, Annum, and St. Fleur Communications to develop an educational and building vision for Madison Park, and in the FY24 Capital Plan, we are proposing $45 million to begin the design of a new campus to bring that vision to reality.

Project Status: Programming

GND for BPS Status Tracker, design

frequently asked questions

FAQ

What is the vision for the Madison Park Redesign and Renovation project?

We are committed to building a world-class technical-vocational facility for Madison Park students through a complete campus redesign and renovation. A major goal for this project is to fulfill the four principles of the Mayor’s and Superintendent’s vision for improving all BPS high schools: provide academic rigor, supportive partnerships, college and career pathways for all, and state-of-the-art facilities. The redesign will also transform Madison Park into an all-electric, fossil fuel free, sustainable, and resilient campus as part of the Green New Deal for Boston Public Schools. Additionally, Madison Park should be equipped to prepare its students for high-quality, fulfilling careers in Boston, including the green sector jobs that will be critical to Boston’s future. A redesigned campus will offer career pathways to Madison Park students as well as job training and workforce development programs for adult learners.

 

What is the difference between Options 1 and 2 in the Feasibility Study and how are those options different from a final project design? 

The two options in the Feasibility Study are not the final design or architectural plans. They were developed from the community’s priorities, the educational plan, and an assessment of the current facility conditions to provide a cost estimate of the project. This study is a useful tool to begin visualizing the project, develop a cost estimate, and start the design process. However, there will be an extensive process with more community and expert involvement to create the final design and programming for a leading vocational school. At that point, we will have determined the square footage needed to develop a future-ready school.

The below table describes the differences between the design options as presented in the Study. Option 2 is more transformative than Option 1, which is why it is “preferred.” 

  Option 1 Option 2
Overall Keeps the external landscape and focuses on internal changes to fit the new program needs Provides transformational external and internal changes to meet the new program needs. This is the more costly concept
Program Design

New programs are expanded but limited physically by existing structures

New programs are expanded
Community Access Allows for some community access Allows for greater community access
Outdoor Space Expanded large terrace New raised courtyard

 

Which buildings will be used for the Madison Park project?

It is our intention to give Madison Park as much space as it requires for it to be a true state-of-the-art technical vocational high school, with dedicated space for adult education and community-facing programming. As we begin design in the Spring of 2024, we will develop a more detailed campus plan.

 

What’s the plan for parking?

There are currently approximately 150 parking spaces at the rear of building 7 and on the street, which are primarily used by staff and students. Throughout the design process, the team will consider options for maintaining parking.

 

Will new programs be considered for Madison Park?

The Feasibility Study, guided by community meetings, identified 5 new potential Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs and program spaces the school currently lacks, including an auditorium, performing arts spaces, and an expanded media center. The new proposed CTE programs are: Aviation Tech, Biotechnology, Environmental Science + Technology, Robotics + Automation Tech, and Early Childhood Education + Care. 

We will continue to review current vocational programs and potential new programs with vocational, industry, labor economy, and data experts to develop a final list of vocational (CTE) programs. A Madison Park Steering Committee, made up of industry experts and Madison Park advocates, will use their expertise to evaluate new programs and create career pathways and partnerships with key employers and labor unions. The goal is that these programs set up students for success in current and future labor markets. 

What’s the timeline for this project?

First, a Programming and Feasibility Study for the Madison Park project was prepared by Annum Architects in collaboration with the Public Facilities Department (PFD), the City of Boston, and community stakeholders from August 2022 - October 2023. The Feasibility Study assessed the current conditions of the facilities and identified community priorities for a redesigned campus. The Study then reviewed the changes needed for the facilities to support those priorities and the educational plan developed by school leaders and BPS staff. A main goal of the Feasibility Study was to determine the space needed for Madison Park Technical Vocational High School (MPTVHS) to provide exceptional education to students, using feedback from community engagement sessions. The study also begins to review current and potential future Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs for Madison Park. This plan assumes an increase in enrollment to 2,200 students from 1,087 students, including expected expansion of vocational program enrollment and inclusion of 7th and 8th grades. The Feasibility Study is not the final design or architectural plan for the campus nor the program, but it helps us develop a cost estimate for the project for planning purposes. 

After presenting these findings, the City of Boston’s Public Facilities Department (PFD) is now working to hire an Owner’s Project Manager (OPM) Firm by January 2024.  Once an OPM is onboard, PFD will hire a designer and start the design process. There will be open community meetings throughout the design process to engage the community in finalizing the program vision and incorporate community feedback into the campus design. The final design is expected to be completed in the Spring of 2025, with a goal of starting construction Summer 2025. Construction will happen in phases and last several years. See the graphic below for a visual representation of the timeline.

Madison Park Project Timeline

 

Who are you engaging with on this project?

We will continue to engage with community stakeholders as we move from the vision and programming phase to the final design phase and the construction phase. Community stakeholders include students, alumni, families, staff, neighbors, labor and employer partners, and community organizations. We have contracted consultants and experts to guide the project forward. Since the Feasibility Study launched in 2022, we have held 20 community engagement sessions and will hold more sessions as we work on developing the final design and programming for Madison Park.

 

Will Madison Park students have the opportunity to work on this project?

We will strive to engage Madison Park students throughout the design and construction process as much as we can. We want them to be excited and feel ownership over the future of their campus by involving them in design workshops geared for students, utilizing their perspectives and skills, and giving them hands-on experience working on a world-class, urban renovation project.

 

When construction starts, where will the students be?

We will be creating a swing space plan for Madison Park students to be able to continue their academic and vocational studies throughout construction. We will also review space needed for extracurricular activities, such as athletic fields. We will share details as we get closer to the construction phase.

Why is the Adult Education program a part of this project?

Decades ago, the Humphrey Occupational Resource Center served as a hub for workforce development, located on the Madison Park campus. This program merged with Madison Park to become Madison Park Technical Vocational High School in 1989. Since then, the Adult Education program and the Re-engagement Center have lived on the Madison Park campus.

PFD is embarking on a programming study for these two programs in order to assess the spatial and programmatic needs of the Adult Education and the Re-engagement Center that also currently use a part of the campus. This programming study will give us an opportunity to understand where this important community resource best fits. If kept on the campus, adults would be isolated and would not learn in the same spaces as students, but may benefit from the vocational facilities after-hours or on weekends. Since it will host state-of-the-art vocational facilities and needed community resources, like childcare spaces, the Madison Park campus has the potential to be a strong engine and hub of workforce development for students during the school day and for other community members during non-school hours. 

 

How is O’Bryant related to this project?

The O’Bryant, formerly known as Boston Technical High School, and Madison Park have shared a campus since 1987. Mayor Wu and Superintendent Skipper proposed to move the O’Bryant so that both programs can expand and have the state of the art facilities students need. The proposal would allow the O’Bryant and Madison Park to expand their student bodies significantly. For more details on this proposal and updates on O’Bryant engagement sessions, please visit the webpage on this topic here. The site includes a similar FAQ section that explains alternative sites considered.

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