Restoring, Preserving, and Repurposing Bristol's Historic Schoolhouses

Over the last decade, BTGA has been working closely with the Town of Bristol to help strategize and implement the relocation and creation of Town programs to the historic schoolhouses surrounding the Town Commons, while ensuring the local Historic District Commission and RI Historic Preservation and Heritage Commission are satisfied with how the character of these landmark buildings is being maintained both inside and out. Bristol, Rhode Island, is known for its vast history and proudly holds the title for the oldest Fourth of July celebration in the United States, beginning in 1785. You can feel that pride throughout this Town, with American flags displayed at every corner and the red, white, and blue stripes along their main roads. Built along their Town Common, you will find their historic masonry schoolhouses, decommissioned in the early 1990s, when they regionalized school districts with the neighboring community of Warren. Though they have temporarily housed numerous user groups since their decommissioning, the Town is eager to bring new life to these prominent buildings. 

Phased construction plans were developed to aid in the smooth transition of departments with little disruption to the vital services they provide to their community. The plans also considered multiple usergroups' needs to allow the moving of departments as construction is completed, without needing to re-renovate spaces. Phasing is also needed to utilize the continuous acquisition of State and Federal grant funding that Town Department heads have been working tirelessly to receive. These grants are earmarked for specific uses, requiring construction packages to be broken down and bid out based on individual trades, sustainability advancements, and accessibility upgrades. Christine Shea, an Associate and Project Manager with BTGA, has been orchestrating the design and construction of this complex project, working to coordinate almost a dozen bid packages and onsite trades daily, keeping historic entities informed, and providing needed materials for grant applications. Much of the work is being done by local contractors and subcontractors, who have been a vital part in keeping this project on track, on budget, and running smoothly.

Today, the process is still underway, but major advancements continue to be made. The Reynolds School now houses numerous Town Departments, including Planning, Zoning, Community Development, and the School Department, with plans to renovate the auditorium into a Town meeting room. The Walley School is currently under construction, with hopes of opening the new Walley Community Resource and Senior Center this Winter. If anticipated grant funding is acquired by the Town this Summer, the next phases of construction can also begin to renovate the second floor and upgrade the building envelope and site features. Talks have also begun regarding the future of the Byfield School and its needed accessible upgrades and interior fit-outs. BTGA is proud to be working with the dedicated people of Bristol to restore their historic schoolhouses and can’t wait to see all the hard work of countless individuals come to fruition in the near future.