Birch Grove Primary School

In 2018 the Birch Grove facilities team became aware of micro cracks in building foundations constructed in 1999. Structural testing revealed the presence of significant pyrrhotite deposits and monitoring determined the accelerating deterioration of the school’s foundation. The structure deemed to be unsafe, and a determination was made to call for full replacement of the school on an emergency basis.

Faced with replacing the school on an emergency basis, the Town of Tolland work with State of Connecticut officials to expedite approval and funding parameters. Based on JCJ’s long history in school design and a superior track record of delivering projects under accelerated schedules, the State of Connecticut turned to our team to take on the effort.

Working closely with the district and community, our team developed a plan to relocate students to temporary classrooms while simultaneously designing a replacement school. Design was completed in December 2019, with construction and occupancy following just 19 months later—an extraordinary timeline for a project of this scale.

Despite the accelerated delivery, the new Birch Grove Primary School provides a bright, welcoming learning environment thoughtfully designed for PreK through Grade 2 students, with age-appropriate classrooms, shared learning spaces and flexible environments that support early childhood education.