Mayor Domenic J. Sarno, Superintendent of Springfield Public Schools Dr. Sonia Dinnall, and city officials are pleased to announce that the plans for the new German Gerena School project are moving forward.
The site of the new Gerena School will be constructed at the site of the old Chestnut Junior High, located at the corner of Chestnut Street and Prospect Street in Springfield’s North End neighborhood.
“We understand how important of a community anchor Gerena School is for our North End neighborhood and we are thrilled to be able to move forward with a location here in the North End, as promised,” Mayor Sarno stated. “I want to thank Treasure Deb Goldberg and the incredible team at the MSBA for their continued belief and investment in our Springfield schools. My administration is ready to go and break ground to build a brand new state-of-the-art Gerena School in our North End neighborhood. This is all possible and thanks to our sound, prudent and sustainable fiscal management policies that have enabled us to have the highest bond rating in the city’s history, while maintaining a healthy reserve account.”
Mayor Sarno continued, “I am also proud of the fact that my administration, in partnership with our School Department team led by Dr. Dinnall, our Parks, Building and Recreation Management (PBRM) Executive Director Tom Ashe, Director of Capital Asset Construction Peter Garvey, Director of School and Municipal Buildings for the Facilities Division Jon Carignan, and the MSBA, we have now invested over $1 billion into building new schools and renovating existing schools – the most in the Commonwealth!”
Superintendent of Springfield Public Schools Dr. Sonia Dinnall stated, “Our students deserve learning spaces that inspire them, support them, and reflect the greatness we know exists within them. This new Gerena School is an investment in their future, and I am excited for the generations of students who will walk through its doors and discover what they are capable of becoming.”
Gerena School, located at 200 Birnie Avenue, was originally constructed in 1974.
As part of the original construction an underground tunnel system was included in the project that connects Plainfield Avenue with Main Street, allowing students and residents to by-pass the railroad, Birnie Ave, and Route 91, providing a needed connections path for the neighborhood. This tunnel system was included in the lowest levels of the school. Over the last 20 years, certain areas of the school have become susceptible to the penetration of groundwater based upon the type of building construction, age of the facility, and the fluctuating ground water levels in that area of the City, as well as typical decay of some of the original building components. This penetration has resulted in damage to certain areas within the school and has also resulted in certain rooms within the school, to be closed for use.
Following years of collective advocacy for a new Gerena School, the Massachusetts School Building Authority (“MSBA”), invited the German Gerena Elementary School, into the MSBA’s Eligibility Period in 2023. After performing required studies, consulting with the neighborhood and school community, exploring all options, including renovation, relocation, and replacement, the city is thrilled to be moving forward with a state-of-the-art new Gerena school building construction project in the heart of the North End at the old Chestnut site. The previous Chestnut Junior High School building at 495 Chestnut Street was built in 1901 & 1907; it was demolished in 2014 and the site currently sits vacant.
The selected site presented itself as the only feasible option for keeping the school in the North End neighborhood.
Mayor Sarno stated, “A new Gerena School has been a top priority for my administration and much needed in order to serve our students, families, teachers, and staff. This is a positive step for the neighborhood. I am happy to hear that the New North Citizens Council will also be able to move forward with the Barbara Rivera Community Center project at a different site. The future of the North End is bright with construction of the new Gerena School and construction of the new Barbara Rivera Community Center to look forward to.”
New North Citizens Council Executive Director Vanessa Otero stated, “Building a new school in Springfield’s North End is a powerful investment in economic mobility for our children and families. Access to high-quality learning environments is directly connected to long-term opportunity, stability, and success. On behalf of the NNCC Board of Directors and Staff, I want to thank Mayor Sarno for his partnership and commitment to ensuring that every child—regardless of zip code—has the foundation they need to thrive. Together, we are building not just a school, but pathways to a stronger future.”
Earlier this month, the New North Citizens Council (NNCC) and the City finalized an agreement on the 495 Chestnut Street property which will allow the city to move forward with the design phase of the new Gerena School.
The new school building is being designed by DiNisco Design. Springfield Public Schools is hosting a German Gerena School Community Meeting on Tuesday, March 24, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. at the Gerena Community School Library at 200 Birnie Avenue. The public and neighborhood are invited to join the meeting to learn about the project and MSBA process, see preliminary options being studied, understand the preliminary timeline, ask questions, and give input.
“We are proud to support the continued investments in our schools and our Springfield students,” Director of Parks, Buildings, and Recreation Management Tom Ashe stated. “From major facilities upgrades across numerous schools, to rebuilding state-of-the-art schools like Gerena from the ground up, we are committed to working with Mayor Sarno and the School Department to provide the best possible learning environments for students. I am proud of our team and the work they continue to do to make our school facilities a safe and positive place to learn and work.”
Director of Capital Asset Construction for the city Peter Garvey stated, “Replacing the Gerena School building has been a top priority for many years and we are pleased to be able to move forward on this much needed project. Working with the MSBA we have completed six new school building construction projects and are on track toward five more. I commend our DCAC team along with our OPM partner Skanska construction and designers DiNisco Design for their hard work and dedication on these important projects which ultimately lead to better outcomes for our students and school community.”
“The Gerena School project has been a priority for me ever since I served as a School Committeewoman,” City Councilor Maria Perez said. “I am happy it will remain here in the North End for our children and families. I am glad we are moving on from the old building with all of its health issues, we are thrilled to move forward with a clean slate in a healthy learning environment for our students, teachers, families, and neighborhood. I want to thank Mayor Sarno and the administration for their efforts in advancing this much needed community school project. We have been working to advance this project for so long and I am so happy to see it start to take shape with this initial phase. I look forward to working with Mayor Sarno and the administration on ironing out details moving forward to address potential concerns like traffic and congestion in the neighborhood. This new school project will greatly benefit the neighborhood and our teachers, faculty, students and family.”
School Committee member Gumersindo “Manny” Gomez Jr. said, “I extend my thanks to the Mayor, Superintendent, and fellow members of the School Committee for making Gerena a priority and working with the Massachusetts School Building Authority to advance this project. Our community and many people have advocated and organized to work together for a new school, and now we are thrilled to see these efforts realized in the heart of our North End for the benefit of the students, families, educators, and school community. Thank you once again to everyone involved in this decision.”