State, federal agencies OK demolition of Old Quincy High

By Jessica Bartlett, Town Correspondent

Demolition of the 88-year-old Quincy High building will move forward this month with the blessing of both the Massachusetts Historical Commission and the US Army Corps of Engineers.

In a letter received on Tuesday, the New England District of the Army Corps agreed to a change in its Memorandum of Agreement with the city, which initially required that the old high school be mothballed until it could be renovated for a higher use.

The proponent in seeking to fulfill its obligations under the agreement has conducted both an alternative use study and a cost analysis, the results of which have caused the proponent to conclude that the only reasonable alternative regarding the existing Quincy High School building is to demolish it, the letter states.

The letter allows the city to demolish the building, promoting the citys desire to create a green space on the site.

Quincy officials will have to compile a photographic record of the existing building by Sept. 27. The site must remain part of the new Quincy High School campus.

Other requirements include: adequate space for off-street parking must be provided for those visiting the green space; walkways, retaining walls, and other uses should reuse the granite and brick salvaged from the demolished building; and interpretive displays should be erected to provide historic information about the building.

The memorandum also asks that the Quincy Historic Commission have input in the redesigned site, and the Army Corps and the Massachusetts Historical Commission be able to evaluate the schematic and design plans for the green space.

City Solicitor Jim Timmins said he was pleased with the progress.

Im very delighted with the cooperation on the part of the Army Corps and Mass Historic. They were receptive to our request but worked very diligently with us to get this amendment done in an expedited fashion so we could do demolition work in the summer, he said.

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State, federal agencies OK demolition of Old Quincy High