Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Mass. Town Breaks Ground on $60M Elementary

  • By Dian Schaffhauser
  • 07/23/21

Groundbreaking has taken place on a new elementary school in Amesbury, Mass. Construction of the Sgt. Jordan Shay Memorial Lower Elementary School was approved by city residents in 2019. The $60-million facility will sit next to the Cashman Elementary School, creating a two-building campus where students in preK–2 will attend the new school and students in grades 3–5 will attend Cashman.

The school is intended to use green design principles, with a projected savings of 28% in site energy use and 35% in reduced water use.

Project management is being handled by NV5. DiNisco Design is serving as architect for the building. The construction contract was awarded to CTA-Construction Managers. Civil engineering is being done by DGT Associates. And Brown + Sardina was named landscape architect. All are Massachusetts-based companies.

Sgt. Jordan Shay Memorial Lower Elementary School

The facility is being named after Jordan Shay, who grew up in Amesbury and died in Iraq during his second deployment. According to a foundation that was formed under his name, Shay specified in a "just in case letter" that if something were to happen to him, he wanted a scholarship fund to be started for students who "want to make a difference in the world." The foundation is led by Shay's mother, Holly.

Construction is expected to be done in March 2023.

Amesbury has posted all documents related to the project on a city website.

About the Author

Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • College of the Desert Hits Construction Milestone on New Campus

    College of the Desert recently announced that the construction of its new Palm Springs Campus in Palm Springs, Calif., recently reached a major construction milestone, according to a news release. The college is partnering with general contractor C.W. Driver Companies, which recently “topped out” the facility by placing the final beam in its structure.

  • Zurn Elkay Releases 2025 Sustainability Report

    Zurn Elkay Water Solutions recently announced the release of its annual sustainability report, according to a news release. The 2025 report discusses the organization’s efforts to maintain good environmental stewardship and the solutions provided in helping customers meet sustainability goals.

  • Health & Science Building

    Health & Science Building

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. The College of Western Idaho's Health & Science Building has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Project of Distinction award in the category of New Construction.

  • Vanderbilt to Partner with ABM for Campus Preservation and Modernization

    Vanderbilt University recently announced that it has selected ABM Performance Solutions for a preservation and modernization project at its New York City campus, according to a news release. ABM will deliver its end-to-end ABM Performance Solutions (APS) model to manage critical operations during renovation and maintenance.