In January, the Board of Trustees endorsed the first set of master plan projects. The steps the School is taking will benefit all students in one way or another, and will be complemented by continued prioritization of annual spending to ensure that the excellence of Milton’s programs is reflected in our facilities.
The immediate projects are:
- Academic project: Ware Hall improvements (Summer 2018 and 2019)
- Athletic project: Turf field – Voses Field (Summer 2018)
The future projects are:
- Academic projects (listed in order)
- Schwarz Student Center expansion
- Library to Wigglesworth Hall
- Math / Computer Science / Robotics to Cox Building
- AMC basic assembly and performance space
- Faculty project: Faculty housing renovations and new builds
In both summers of 2018 and 2019, Ware Hall will close so key infrastructure and programmatic needs can be addressed. In summer of 2018, the focus will be on building infrastructure, which is expected to include electrical and fire alarm upgrades, cooling functionality for every classroom, the first stage of construction for an elevator (to be completed the second summer), and ADA-accessible bathrooms. Work will continue in the summer of 2019 to complete infrastructure items as well as enhance certain classrooms and program elements. The building will remain fully functional across the school year.
In the summer of 2018 (summer of 2019 at the latest), Voses Field will be converted to a donor-funded turf field. The field will continue to be used mainly for field hockey and lacrosse with the added benefit of poor-weather practice play for all teams on regulation size turf. The field will not have lights and the landscaping along Voses Lane is expected to remain largely as it is today. These plans are made possible by the generous support of several donors who came forward to anchor the turf project and ensure its feasibility.
Amidst these changes, Milton will continue to invest in other buildings and programs via its annual maintenance and capital budgets, prioritized through an institution-wide process. These projects include, for example, refreshing additional spaces in visual arts, the performing arts center, the gymnasiums, the dorms, the Lower School, and outdoor spaces.