Page 34 - BusinessWest September 30, 2024

COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE >>
From left, Declan O’Connor, Kelley Gangi, and Evan Plotkin in a classroom in the new Discovery High School.
View to the Future?
Discovery High Students Get Taste of Working World
BY GEORGE O’BRIEN
[email protected]
Bob Bolduc remembers getting the call from Bill Low, a commercial real- estate broker based in Springfield.
Low was working with Bolduc on finding a new home for Discovery Polytech Early College High School, then located in cramped quarters within Chestnut Middle School, and he had an intriguing suggestion.
When Low explained that the space in question was the top two floors of 1350 Main St. in the heart of downtown Springfield, former home to BankBos- ton’s regional headquarters, Bolduc, former owner of the Pride chain of stores and gas stations who created the Hope for Youth and Families Foundation with proceeds from the sale of that chain, thought that concept had promise, but it was outside the box. As in way outside the box.
“Our school is a STEM high school — we’re an early-college high school, but we’re also a STEM school. Most of our kids are going to work in companies that look like our school. I had the amazing opportunity to work with a team and an architect to design a space that looks like a tech company.”
34 SEPTEMBER 30, 2024 << COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE >> BusinessWest