Boston Renaissance
Charter School

The construction and renovation of Boston Renaissance Charter Public School’s new campus is the largest charter school project to be constructed in the Commonwealth to date. This was a renovation of two buildings—a 70,000 sf historic heavy timber and masonry mill building built in 1889, and a 20,000 sf 1974 metal siding and concrete block warehouse building—as well as a 15,000 sf addition. These structures, housed on a 6-acre industrial site, replace Boston Renaissance’s former home in a multi-story building not conducive to education. The mill building has been transformed to house the majority of the classrooms for grades 1-6, with kindergarten and PK housed in the one-story addition. A flexible assembly space grows from opening partitions between the gym, cafetorium, and adjacent dance and music studios and can accommodate school-wide assemblies and public events. The LEED certifiable school incorporates many green design measures, including an automated dimming system that adjusts artificial lighting levels when there is sufficient daylight, a displacement ventilation system, and the use of reclaimed wood in the entry canopy.