High-Profile: October 2026 | Page 30

30 High-Profile: Education October 2026

Marion, Mass. – South Coast Improvement Company( SCIC) has completed three higher education projects in Massachusetts, spanning student housing, academic classrooms, and a wildlife medicine facility.

At a college in Greater Boston, SCIC completed a residence hall renovation ahead of schedule, giving the institution additional time to prepare the building for student move-in. Completed during the college’ s limited summer recess, the project included luxury vinyl tile flooring replacement, hardwood floor refinishing, interior painting, furniture relocation and resetting, and interior finish improvements throughout the residence hall. The compressed construction window required detailed planning, subcontractor coordination, and field execution. SCIC managed scheduling, site safety, daily reporting, trade coordination, and project closeout so the building was ready for the academic year.

At Dean College in Franklin, SCIC completed Phase Three of an ongoing campus renovation program, building on an established relationship with the institution. The phase covered the

renovation of two science classrooms and included abatement, demolition, acoustical ceiling tile replacement, new flooring, painting, millwork, and fixture upgrades. The work supports Dean College’ s continued investment in modern, functional learning environments for students and faculty.

At the Tufts Wildlife Medicine Building in Grafton, SCIC completed roof replacement and repairs, improvements to ventilation and thermal performance, exterior siding and trim replacement,

Completed science classroom renovations at Dean College, featuring upgraded finishes, millwork, and fixtures designed to support a modern learning environment.

wood truss repairs, and drainage improvements. The facility is affiliated with the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University and supports the education of future veterinarians as well as specialized wildlife care. Working within an active academic and clinical environment, SCIC coordinated construction activities, scheduling, safety, and project closeout to minimize disruption and maintain the facility’ s ongoing operations.

“ These projects reflect the confidence educational institutions place in South Coast Improvement Company to deliver high-quality work on schedule and with exceptional attention to detail,” said Henry Quinlan, president of South Coast Improvement Company.“ Each campus environment presents its own challenges, and our team understands the importance of careful planning, communication, and efficient execution— particularly when construction must be completed within limited windows and around ongoing operations.”

Cranston, RI – A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held Sept. 17 for the new Gladstone Elementary School, bringing together students, educators, administrators, community members and project partners. The 100,000sf school, designed by Finegold Alexander Architects, opened to students this fall.

Finegold Alexander joined the City of Cranston, Cranston Public Schools, Gilbane Building Company, Jacobs Owner’ s Project Management and the broader school community to celebrate the opening. The excitement of students and educators exploring their new school following the ribbon cutting underscored the significance of this long-awaited investment in the Gladstone community.

“ Gladstone shows us what is possible when a community supports its public schools. It also reminds us that our responsibility extends to every student in Cranston,” said Superintendent Jeannine Nota-Masse.“ Tonight we celebrate what Cranston has accomplished together: a beautiful new school, the joining of two school communities, and new opportunities for generations of children to come.”

Finegold Alexander Architects, a Boston-based women-owned architecture firm, worked with the City of Cranston and Cranston Public Schools for the past three years to design the school, replacing the 1950s-era building and consolidating the former Gladstone and Arlington Elementary Schools. Serving students in grades K-5, Gladstone is the third and

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Gladstone Elementary School / Rendering courtesy of Finegold Alexander Architects

final elementary school transformation in the district to embrace an educational model that shifts the focus from traditional, individualized classrooms toward a community-based, collaborative approach to teaching and learning.

“ I can remember walking through the old hallways with Finegold Alexander and talking about the importance of color, light, and space for our new school,” said Gladstone Elementary School Principal Amy Vachon.“ We have worked closely alongside them through every developmental milestone of this project, from looking at blueprints to creating learning opportunities for our students to have a voice in the design, having our students create and design furniture that we now have here at our new school.”

Developed in collaboration with Fielding International as the educational planner, the design approach to Gladstone reimagines the traditional elementary school. Rather than organizing classrooms along a central corridor, the school is organized into six Learning Communities, clusters of interconnected spaces designed to support different modes of learning throughout the school day.

Each Learning Community includes a Learning Commons, Learning Studios, Active Lab, Teacher Collaboration Workroom and Small Group Rooms, giving students and educators the flexibility to move seamlessly between individual learning, small-group instruction, handson activities and larger collaborative opportunities throughout the day.

“ Seeing Gladstone come to life after years of collaboration with the City, educators, students, and the greater Cranston community is incredibly rewarding,” said Regan Shields Ives, AIA, LEED AP, principal at Finegold Alexander Architects.“ The ribbon cutting is an opportunity to celebrate not only a new building, but a school shaped around how students learn, connect, and grow. We are thrilled to see students make these spaces their own.”

Finegold Alexander has a long history of designing educational spaces, renovating and transforming existing buildings as well as creating new construction. Its K-12 portfolio across New England includes the recently completed Advanced Math and Science Academy Charter School New Academic Building in Marlborough, ongoing construction of a new educational facility for The Community Group in Lawrence, and the new Joseph Case Junior High School in Swansea, which is in the study phase.

“ As we turn the page to this exciting new chapter of Gladstone 2.0 and have welcomed all of our students into the new school, I am filled and overwhelmed with overwhelming pride and hope,” said Vachon.“ The blueprint is complete. The physical work is done, but the real story of Gladstone begins now with our students.”

“ Thank you for making this dream a reality for all of us. You didn’ t just build a school. You built a home for the future leaders, thinkers, and innovators of Cranston,” Vachon continued.