Construction Notice: Roadway Milling and Paving on Concord Ave Beginning October 27, 2025
The City's contractor will be performing roadway milling (grinding) and paving on the Concord Ave side of the Tobin School site from 450 Concord Ave to just beyond the Alpine Path on Monday, October 27 and Tuesday, October 28, weather permitting. The limits of the milling and paving are highlighted in blue on the map below.
Work hours will be from 7:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
What to Expect During Construction:
- On street-parking spaces will be impacted during this work. Paper signs will indicate the hours and locations where parking is not allowed. These signs will be posted at least 24 hours before restrictions are in effect.
- Detours will be in effect while work is underway (between 7:00 a.m.-6 p.m.). Please pay careful attention to signs and directions from detail officers.
- As the street is milled, the surface will be rough, with raised manhole covers. The roadway will be lower, making the curbs higher for parked cars. Please use caution when opening car doors, so they aren’t damaged on curbs.
- Motorcycles and bicycles use caution when traveling on milled surface.
- If your driveway is within the limits of new paving, please plan trips accordingly. Vehicle access in and out of properties will be restricted during the paving operation.
- Access will be maintained for emergency vehicles and City services.
Newly paved areas will be reopened to users as conditions allow, typically within a few hours of completion.
Information & Assistance:
If you have any questions about the paving operations or need assistance, including any special needs or disabilities that require a special accommodation, Contact Kristen Kelleher, Community Relations Manager, at 617-349-4825/ kkelleher@cambridgema.gov. In case of an emergency after hours, please call the 24-Hour line at 617 349-4800.
Tobin Montessori & Darby Vassall Upper Schools & Community Complex Opening Celebration
Saturday, October 18, 2025
10:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
181 Vassal Lane
Join us for the opening celebration of the new Tobin Montessori and Darby Vassall Upper Schools & Community Complex!
- 10:00 a.m. – Ceremony in the auditorium
- 11:00 a.m. – Tours led by faculty and students
- 12:00 p.m. – Light refreshments in the cafeteria, plus face painting and children’s activities outside near the play areas
The event is free and open to all.
View full flyer here
City of Cambridge, Cambridge Public Schools Celebrate Opening of the New Tobin Montessori and Darby Vassall Upper Schools and Community Complex
Learn more here.
*Updated Construction Notice: The paving has been rescheduled to Saturday, August 23. Work hours will be 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Tobin Montessori and Darby Vassall Upper Schools Update
The Tobin Montessori and Darby Vassall Upper Schools will open on Monday, September 2. As we near the finish line, you may have noticed increased activity around the site.
Roadwork
Vassal Lane (in front of the site) will be milled and paved Tuesday, August 19.
On opening day, schools, playgrounds, and community paths will be open.
Playing fields and basketball courts will remain fenced off while construction continues. (Green on the map = open, red = fenced off). See below.
When & Where to Expect Traffic
Buses will load and unload at the Vassal Lane bus loop during school start and dismissal times:
Tobin Montessori: Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 7:45 AM – 2:15 PM; Wed 7:45 AM – 1:45 PM (doors open 7:30 AM)
Darby Vassall Upper School: Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8:45 AM – 3:15 PM; Wed 8:45 AM – 2:45 PM (doors open 8:30 AM)
Parent drop-off and pick-up will be through the temporary parking garage on Vassal Lane during the same start/dismissal windows.
Expect heavier traffic in these areas during the first few weeks as families adjust to the new routines.
Enrollment (as of August 15)
Tobin: 316 students
DVUP: 300 students (numbers will increase)
We are excited for the community to experience all that this new community complex has to offer. To celebrate, we’ll be hosting a community-wide event on Saturday, October 18, open to the public. More details will follow in the coming weeks. We look forward to welcoming you!
*Updated Construction Notice: Roadway Milling and Paving on Vassal Lane is scheduled for Tuesday, August 19, 2025
Construction Notice: Roadway Milling and Paving on Vassal Lane Beginning August 18, 2025
The City’s contractor, R.M. Pacella Inc., will be milling (grinding) and paving Vassal Lane in front of the Tobin School site beginning Monday, August 18. Milling is expected to take one day, followed by paving on Tuesday, August 19 (weather permitting).
Work hours: 7:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
What to Expect During Construction:
- On Street-parking spaces will be impacted during this work. Paper signs will indicate the hours and locations where parking is not allowed. These signs will be posted at least 24 hours before restrictions are in effect.
- Detours will be in effect while work is underway (between 7:00 a.m. and 6 p.m.). Please pay careful attention to signs and directions from detail officers.
- As the street is milled, the surface will be rough, with raised manhole covers. The roadway will be lower, making the curbs higher for parked cars. Please use caution when opening car doors, so they aren’t damaged on curbs.
- Motorcycles and bicycles use caution when traveling on milled surface.
- If your driveaway is within the limits of new paving, please plan trips accordingly. Vehicle access in and out of properties will be restricted during the paving operation
- Access will be maintained for emergency vehicles and City services.
Newly paved areas will be reopened to users as conditions allow, typically within a few hours of completion.
Information & Assistance:
If you have any questions about the paving operations or need assistance, including any special needs or disabilities that require a special accommodation, Contact Kristen Kelleher, Community Relations Manager, at 617-349-4825/kkelleher@cambridgema.gov. In case of an emergency after hours, please call the 24-Hour line at 617 349-4800.
Noise Variance Notice to Abutters - July 31, 2025
The City's contractor, WT Rich, has applied for a Special Noise Variance with the Cambridge Board of License Commissioners to work on Saturday, August 2. If granted, the work hours will be 7 a.m.- 4 p.m. Crews will be paving the bus loop inside the worksite on the west side at 197 Vassal Lane.
Public Comment for consideration by the Board can be sent to noise@cambridgema.gov.
Information and Assistance
To receive future updates via email regarding this project, please contact Kristen Kelleher at kkelleher@cambridgema.gov / 617-349-4825. To view more information on this project, please visit www.CambridgeMA.gov/TobinSchool.
Update: Tobin School Furniture Delivery July 7, 8, and 9, 2025
Dear Neighbors,
We’re excited to share that furniture for the new Tobin School will be delivered on July 7, 8, and 9. During these deliveries, trucks will be parking on Vassal Lane, which will limit available parking in the area. Please be on the lookout for No Parking signs, which will be posted at least 24 hours in advance. A police detail will be on site to help direct traffic.
Information and Assistance
If you have any questions about the construction or need assistance, including if you have any special needs or disabilities that requires a special accommodation, please contact Kristen Kelleher, Community Relations Manager, at (617) 349-4825/ kkelleher@cambridgema.gov. To view more information on this project such as updates, documents, and more, please visit www.cambridgema.gov/TobinSchool.
Construction Notice: Saturday Construction Work and Ongoing Activity
The City's contractor, W.T. Rich has received permission to extend work hours to include Saturdays, beginning Saturday, July 5. In accordance with City ordinance, Saturday work hours will be between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Perimeter site work is continuing. In the coming weeks, W.T. Rich will be installing curbing and sidewalks around the site, including along Vassal Lane. You may notice additional machinery and activity on the street during this time.
There may be additional times during construction when extended hours may be requested. While these working hours are within the construction times allowed by the City's noise ordinance, we understand this is an additional disruption to the community. It is important that this project remain on schedule and allowing this extended work time ensures that will happen. We appreciate your patience.
Information and Assistance
If you have any questions about the construction or need assistance, including if you have any special needs or disabilities that requires a special accommodation, please contact Kristen Kelleher, Community Relations Manager, at (617) 349-4825/ kkelleher@cambridgema.gov. To view more information on this project such as updates, documents, and more, please visit www.cambridgema.gov/TobinSchool.
Noise Variance Notice to Abutters - October 15, 2024
The City's contractor, WT Rich, will require temporary heating inside the worksite this winter. These heaters will run as needed to maintain temperature conditions inside the building. There will be minimal noise associated with these heaters and crews will work to place them in areas that are least disruptive to the community. Please see below proposed locations in red on the bottom of this notice.
WT Rich submitted an application for a Special Noise Variance to the Cambridge Board of License Commissioners (“the Board”). The Special Noise Variance application will be considered at the October 29, 2024 Board of License Commissioners’ Public Meeting at 10:00 a.m., which the public can remotely attend by clicking on the following Zoom link:
https://cambridgema.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_EdQxGl_NQLqqNFJwxAUZvA
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the public meeting.
Public Comment for consideration by the Board can also be sent to noise@cambridgema.gov.
Information and Assistance
To receive future updates via email regarding this project, please contact Kristen Kelleher at kkelleher@cambridgema.gov / 617-349-4825. To view more information on this project, please visit www.CambridgeMA.gov/TobinSchool.