It’s no longer just an event far away on the horizon; Hunnewell Elementary School is actually coming down. The demolition of the elementary school began this week, as fences were set up around the property and bulldozers rolled in to get to work.

(Construction firm W.T. Rich also shared a video of the action.)

A farewell walk-through was held in June.

The old building, opened in 1938, will be replaced with an 18-classroom, 76,500 sq. ft .building, which is expected to open in February 2024 (see project updates). During this period of construction students will be divvied up among other school buildings in town. This division will take factors such as distance and capacity at other schools into consideration.

Hunnewell tear down — Not even the playground was spared

The project made its way through the town government decision process in recent years, having been given approval by the Zoning Board of Appeals in 2021, and then having the construction funds approved during a Special Town meeting in October, 2021. The estimated total project costs now sit at $64.1M. Part of this budget includes planning and design expenses.

The town has provided concept images of the new project, which provide a better idea of what the school will look like. One noteworthy detail is that the new school is planned to have two floors, while previously Hunnewell was a single-story building. The new design uses a modern style, similar to that of Wellesley high school.