Boston dignitaries including City Councilman Flynn, Mayor Wu, and School Superintendent Mary Skipper gathered on December 9, 2022 for the topping off ceremony of the Washington Street Josiah Quincy Upper School. It marked the end of approximately 18 months of construction and the start of preparation culminating in the planned fall 2024 ribbon-cutting. From its start in temporary housing at the old Lincoln School on Arlington Street and Bay Village to this new location on Washington Street, this should prove to be a powerful new landmark in the Chinatown neighborhood. Sampan recently interviewed Principal Richard Chang about this exciting new chapter in the life of this nearly quarter century old school. What follows is an edited transcript of his emailed responses. 

Sampan interviewed Richard K. Chang, Head of School of Josiah Quincy Upper School to have in- depth knowledge about the building construction and the future plans. 

Sampan: Are there any structural changes from the original plans in 2020 to now?

Richard: There have been no planned structural changes since 2020. The pandemic impact on the supply chain and the resulting price inflation caused at least a $30 million cost overrun. Fortunately, the Mayor and the City Council made an additional $30 million appropriation to cover the budget shortfall. Otherwise, the building design would have had to be reduced significantly. 

Sampan: When is the expected ribbon-cutting date?

Richard: The building construction is expected to be completed by July 2024, the occupancy permit to be issued by August 2024 and the inauguration of the building in September 2024. The ribbon-cutting will be determined by the Mayor’s office. Typically, they will wait until the new school year starts in September to maximize press coverage.

Sampan: In her remarks, Mayor Wu mentioned the Green efficiency of this new building. Can you elaborate on the benefits of Green technology and a green environment for the students and families of Chinatown?

Richard: Please refer to this document provided by the HMFH architects for elaboration. 

(See below)

Sampan: Has there been pushback from the community regarding the construction that’s happened and is coming up?

Richard: This building project has abided by the community engagement process established by the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA). Several community meetings were convened during the design and planning phases of the building project to solicit community feedback. Some abutters and neighbors raised concerns, such as construction noise and vibration that were addressed by the Boston City Public Facilities Department and the project’s general contractor, Turner Construction. We were very fortunate to have substantial support from the Chinatown community for our new building project.

Sampan: What does this new building mean to your students and families? 

Richard: Since the founding of our school in 1999, our physical facilities have been inadequate to provide a full educational programing for our students. For instance, we have had inadequate space for science labs, library, gymnasium and the arts. With the total building cost exceeding $200 million, the new building will provide state of the art facilities to realize the optimal educational programming for our students and families. Historically, our inadequate physical facilities have prompted many students and families to transfer to Boston’s exam schools. Moreover, this new building represents good will on the part of the Commonwealth and the City to remediate past harms, including land takings in Chinatown for the construction of the Mass Pike and the Expressway, the relocation of the adult entertainment zoning (red light district) to Chinatown from Scollay Square to facilitate the building of City Hall, and other such inequitable government actions adverse to Chinatown. 

Sampan: What is your vision in the next 5 years?

Richard: Given the high value of land in Chinatown, we aspire for the new building to be well-used by not only our own students and families but also our Chinatown neighbors. We envision active usage of the new building for weekday after-school sports and extracurricular activities and weekend family activities that span generations. We welcome the sight and sound of children along with their parents, grandparents and other extended family members, all participating in social and physical activities in the new building. We envision the usage of our public spaces by Chinatown organizations and partners. To facilitate community usage of our new building, all “big box” spaces, such as the auditorium, gymnasium, Black Box Theater, media center/library and cafeteria, were all intentionally located on the lower floors to enable public access. We envision our new building to be one of the “crown jewels” of the City, with its high visibility from the Mass Pike and its proximity to downtown Boston. Undoubtedly, it will become a signature public building in Boston.

Sampan: Will there be new amenities, i.e., gym, libraries, music/art rooms, community space? 

Richard: Indeed, the new building will provide amenities that are unavailable in our current Arlington Street building.

Josiah Quincy Upper School:  Sustainable Measures in the Project

HMFH Architects – Efficiency and Resiliency

The JQUS project has set high standards for efficiency, resiliency, and environmental health, and is on its way towards achieving LEED Gold status. It is designed with highly insulated walls, windows, and roof to minimize the use of energy in heating and cooling. 

The building is all-electrically powered using very efficient heat-pump technology.  No fossil fuels are used for heating, cooling, or cooking in the school. All the mechanical systems that could be were raised above the First Floor, protecting them in case of the unlikely event of flooding. 

Indoor Environmental Quality

Assuring a healthy environment for students is a paramount concern for the project.  Measures taken with the design pre- Covid have proved effective in a post-pandemic environment. 

Enhanced air filtering is used to assure that very clean ventilation air is brought into the building, creating a safe indoor environment even though adjacent to the Mass Pike. An innovative “Displacement Air” system reduces the potential spread of contaminants among students within the classroom.

Sustainable and renewable materials, like bamboo, are used on finishes throughout the school. Nearly all the classrooms face south to maximize natural daylighting, increasing student well-being and minimizing the need for artificial lighting. The school is topped by a large outdoor educational space in which students can gather, study, and relax in fresh air and roof gardens with native plantings. 

Josiah Quincy Upper School New Address:  900 Washington Street, Boston, MA 02111