Project Planners and Construction Managers  

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Kingsley Montessori is a preschool and elementary school in the heart of Boston’s Back Bay. When the school’s rapidly growing enrollment required expansion to a second building, the Kingsley Montessori School purchased the historic Exeter Street Theatre building, just a few blocks away, and began plans to convert it into their new K-5 campus. The scope of work for this summer fast-track project included demolition, floor plan reconfiguration, new stairs, classrooms, library facilities, a science lab, performing and visual arts studios, a language space, after-school program space and meeting space. According to Renee DuChainey-Farkes, Head of School, “Our goal in building this new space was to encourage individuality, inspire a child’s natural curiosity for knowledge, and prepare our students academically.”

Before beginning the construction process, the Commodore team was invited to attend Montessori classes at the original 30 Fairfield Street campus building, to increase our understanding of the look, feel and objectives of the Montessori classroom experience.  Commodore was challenged to duplicate the original building’s home-away-from-school feeling, without losing the quality and character of KMS. The space is unlike other schools. It contains no plastic, square rooms, teachers' desks or white walls, and retains the stunning stained glass windows dating back in the building’s history.

During construction of the new school, Commodore collaborated closely with an adjacent restaurant and with abutting residential condominium residents to minimize disruption in the quiet Back Bay neighborhood.