PITTSFIELD, Mass.— Planners will soon consider exactly how a new West Side elementary school would look. 

On Tuesday, the Schools Building Needs Commission will see an overview of the Preliminary Design Program for the project involving Crosby Elementary School, Conte Community School, and possibly Stearns Elementary School. 

The PDP is the initial feasibility phase that documents space needs, existing conditions, and evaluates design options.  It will be submitted at the end of January 2027; a new school on West Street is estimated to be at least five years out. 

At the SBNC’s Sept. 1 meeting, designers TSKP Studio introduced themselves and outlined next steps for the feasibility study as Pittsfield applies for funds from the Massachusetts School Building Authority. 

"We are going to prioritize this," Superintendent Latifah Phillips said about Crosby. 

"…The building is in a really challenging condition, so we want to move responsibly quick. We don't want to move too quickly where people feel left behind. We also need to acknowledge that that building is holding on."

The design team has completed nearly 60 school projects in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island, including three net-zero-verified schools.  

An existing conditions assessment and site development requirements were completed, and educational visioning is to wrap up in October. The educational plan and design options will be evaluated for the remainder of 2026.