Site work for a mixed-use development in Needham, Massachusetts. Conceptual plans call for site work for a educational facility.

This request is for the construction phase of the project. Funding for the design was funded in for FY2026. Eliot School fields are showing signs of age due to poorly draining subsurface materials which impact the health of the turf and make the fields more expensive to maintain. It is on a physically limited site which causes the turf to wear and makes it more difficult to maintain a surface that is appropriate for kids to use. The design would include a transition to a synthetic field. It has been a struggle to maintain a consistent ground cover with the natural turf grass. Due to the smaller size of the Eliot field and the high amount of regular student traffic, switching to synthetic material would be a more economical and durable option that will greatly assist in maintaining a consistent field covering. The playground at Eliot is past its useful life and presents maintenance challenges due to the wood fiber migration. There is also a lack of accessible and sensory playground equipment. To benefit from an economy of scale, the field, courts, and playground at Eliot would be designed and constructed simultaneously under this request. The playground would be redesigned with a poured-inplace protection surface that presents fewer maintenance challenges and can be properly contained in the play area, and accessible and interactive sensory playground pieces would be incorporated. This project will be a phased implementation to reduce the impact on the school calendar year. The intent of Phase 1 is to focus on the playgrounds and Phase 2 is to intended to focus on the little league/soccer synthetic field and basketball court. The project is included in the City's 2027-2031 Capital Improvement Program (CIP). As of July 22, 2026, further details have not yet been identified. *Project information has been obtained through a public capital improvement plan (CIP). A CIP is a financial schedule for short- and long-range projects which is updated regularly. Information listed in the CIP often evolves based on funding availability and the project details, including timeline and value, are subject to change. The content management team will continue to pursue additional details as they become available.