Photo by Ed Wonsek

Howe School Rendering - Southeast View

Proposed 3D rendering at the new main entry

Howe School Rendering - Southwest View

Proposed 3D Rendering from Boston Road travelling North-bound

Howe School Rendering - Northwest View

Proposed 3D Rendering from Boston Road travelling South-bound

Howe School Restoration, Renovation & Expansion

Town of Billerica &

Billerica Public Access Television

Billerica, MA

Back to All Project Types

After completing an initial feasibility study in 2016, which examined the potential adaptive re-use of the historic Howe School by Billerica Public Access Television, PRA Architects was selected by the Town of Billerica to lead the effort to make this project a reality in 2020.

In addition to reviewing the current condition of the long-abandoned but important historical Billerica landmark structure, PRA, the Town and the potential end-user, BATV reviewed the 2016 study against current programmatic and financial considerations to develop an efficient, cost-effective and functional design for the restoration and renovation of the existing building, along with a new addition suitable to serve the needs of BATV and the Town and meet current building and accessibility codes.

Given the historical significance of the building and its prominent exposure to Boston Road, the addition was located at the rear of the building. While the existing front door symbolically remains and was reconstructed to its original design, the design located the main entry to the building in the rear addition. This entry location, convenient to parking, also includes an accessible building entrance.

Preservation concerns were recognized in the design of the restoration and proposed addition to the Howe School. Following the guidelines of the US Department of the Interior, the design of the new work was guided by the following tenets:

- Preserve significant historical materials, features and form;

- Be compatible;

- Be differentiated from the historic building.

The location of new addition at the rear of the building preserves the property’s historic character, and the addition was designed to be visually distinguishable from the historic building, yet utilizing materials and massing sympathetic with the original.

Given the multi-story configuration of the renovated Howe School, PRA developed a grouping of spaces based on expected patterns of use in the building and preferred flow to both public use and behind the scenes production work. Modern technology and building infrastructure was incorporated to facilitate TV studio and production facilities, carefully integrated to avoid disrupting the historical building.

While serving mainly as the headquarters and production studios of BATV, the project also includes a large meeting space for community use, as well as substantial conditioned space for the long-term storage of sensitive town artifacts and materials.

We at PRA Architects, along with town leaders, BATV members, & those in the Billerica community are very excited to see the stabilization of this significant area structure and provide a long-term home for Billerica Public Access Television. Construction was completed successfully and the building was opened to the public in October 2022!