Mayor Wu, Superintendent Skipper Cut Ribbon on Josiah Quincy Upper School

Today, Mayor Michelle Wu joined Boston Public Schools Superintendent Mary Skipper, Treasurer and Receiver General Deb Goldberg, the City's Public Facilities Department, and Chinatown community members at the official ribbon cutting of the newly constructed Josiah Quincy Upper School, serving grades 6-12, in Chinatown. The new school facility, which opened in time for the 2024-2025 school year, includes a state-of-the-art media center, fitness center, band rooms, and other features to help each Josiah Quincy student reach their full potential and explore their individual educational interests. The $223.6 million construction project was funded in partnership between the City of Boston and the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA), which provided over $54 million to the project. 

The new six-story, steel-framed building accommodates 650 students, 84 staff members, 35 educational spaces, and 29 classrooms. It has an auditorium with 435 seats, a black box theater with 125 seats, a 10,000-square-foot gym, and a cafeteria with approximately 250 seats. Construction on the new facility began in June 2021 and finished last month. 

“We are overjoyed to welcome our students to this brand new state-of-the-art building this school year,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “Students learn best when they are fully supported with a nurturing and inspiring environment, and so it is with great pride that we share the results of all the hard work that was poured into making this a better school for our students, educators, and the entire school community.”

Other features of the school include a media center; seminar/conference room; cafeteria space providing fresh food cooked on-site; an alternative physical education room for students to receive occupational and physical therapy; a fitness center that includes a dance floor with mirrors and a trainer’s space for individual consultation for student-athletes; administrative and support spaces on every floor, including an individual resource room, ESL classroom, and small group spaces on every floor; two contemporary soundproof band room spaces with four soundproof practice rooms; teacher collaborative spaces on every floor with separate staff breakout rooms equipped with a fridge and microwave; and two laundry rooms with an installed washer and dryer.

The project also included outside site improvements, including landscaping and re-paving of the surrounding alleys, streets, sidewalks, and crosswalks. 

"We are thrilled to open the doors of the new Josiah Quincy Upper School, a beacon of opportunity and innovation for our students,” said Boston Public Schools Superintendent Mary Skipper. “This state-of-the-art facility represents our unwavering commitment to providing a world-class education, which includes access to the International Baccalaureate diploma programme, in an environment that nurtures and inspires. The collaboration and dedication of our City, the Commonwealth, the Massachusetts School Building Authority and community partners have made this dream a reality, and I am excited to see how this incredible space will empower our students to reach their full potential."

“Today’s ribbon cutting is an exciting, new beginning for the students and teachers at the Josiah Quincy Upper School,” said State Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg, Chair of the MSBA. “The MSBA and the City of Boston partner on new schools to build 21st century state-of-the-art facilities. We are excited to celebrate another important milestone with the Boston community today”.

The Josiah Quincy Upper School Project began in February 2012. There was a thorough planning process with multiple feasibility studies and proposals for a location for the new school building, which ultimately resulted in the 249 Harrison Avenue site, the former home of the Boston Chinese Evangelical Church. 

“We are thrilled to announce the opening of the Josiah Quincy Upper School,” said PFD Executive Director Carleton Jones. “We are especially excited about the features that make this building unique, such as the rooftop outdoor classroom, the alternative physical education room for students to receive occupational and physical therapy, and modern, flexible learning spaces throughout the school. Each floor has a collaborative space for staff, which will foster the appreciation for lifelong learning that is at the heart of the JQUS community.”

The JQUS project is on its way toward achieving LEED Platinum certification, their highest sustainability rating. It excels in categories including efficiency, resiliency, and air quality.

The new building was designed by HMFH Architects, Inc. Skanska USA Building served as the owner's project manager and Turner Construction Company served as the construction manager. Boston Public Schools Capital Planning Department and the City of Boston Public Facilities Department also helped lead the project to completion.