SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) -- Springfield students in the North End are one step closer to a brand-new school building. Plans for the new German Gerena School are officially moving forward, now that a location had been decided.

On Tuesday evening, the public was invited to ask questions and give input about the project. The meeting gave North End families and neighbors a closer look at design options for the new Gerena school, and a chance to share feedback and concerns as the project moves ahead.

The new school is planned for the former Chestnut Junior High site at Chestnut and Prospect; four acres of land that’s been vacant since the old building was demolished back in 2014.

Early March, the city and the New North Citizens Council (NCCC) finalized an agreement on the property, clearing the way for Springfield to move forward into the design phase. This project is part of a massive billion-dollar push to modernize Springfield schools. In announcing the selected site Monday, city leaders said the new Gerena School will be a “state-of-the-art” building.

The Current Gerena School On Birnie Avenue Was built in 1974, and officials say it has dealt with groundwater problems tied to an underground tunnel system, forcing some rooms to be taken out of use.

At Tuesday night’s meeting, Western Mass News spoke with Assistant Superintendent for Family and Community Engagement, Jose Escribano. He tells us the district has heard calls for a new building for years and believes this is a major investment for the north end, “For years we’ve heard from community members that they’ve wanted a new gerena building so I think this is just kind of fulfilling that community wish...This building was state of the art when it was first built and first opened, as we move forward with new technology and new infrastructure, we want to make sure we are giving our students nothing but the best.”

We also spoke with Dejour Farquharson, who works with an after-school program that uses the current Gerena school building. He tells us he’s glad to see the city moving forward with the project. “It looks more like an older school, when you walk in you can tell that it hasn’t been remodeled in years...Stuff gets old and damaged along the way, so I think a new school, a new remodel would be a good idea,” he says.

The company, DiNisco Design, is designing the building, with the planning of the project still in its preliminary phase. Officials say the goal is for the new school to open in August of 2030.

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