UPDATE 8-7-25
Question: Will the new building facades match the existing historical elevations? What will the new facades look like?
Answer:
- In accordance with current historic preservation best practices, the addition facades do not seek to replicate or recreate the old building. The proposed building facades instead are designed complement the historic building by incorporating elements, patterns and proportions that tie the two together. The relevant State and County historical review committees have reviewed and approved the Architect’s design. An elevation of the rear façade can be viewed here: Presentation
Question: Will all stakeholder questions be answer directly?
Answer:
- Questions and comments we receive are being combined and summarized into general questions in order to avoid duplication of effort and an unwieldy FAQ.
Question: Why is this project a renovation – addition instead of a replacement school?
Answer:
- Portions of the existing school building are listed on the Maryland Inventory of Historic Properties and are a Baltimore County Landmark.
- BCPS has coordinated the project with the Baltimore County Landmark Preservation Commission (LPC) and the Maryland Historic Trust (MHT).
- As a result of the LPC and MHT reviews, the front stone facade of the building facing Cedar Avenue will be retained along with the auditorium. A new addition will tie together the historic portions of the building.
Question: How did the design arrive at its configuration of the Towson High School Campus?
Answer:
- Design commenced after the historic preservation scope phase determined what portions of the building were required to be maintained. An analysis was then conducted to determine where additions could be located to minimize the impact on education during phased-occupied construction without compromising on functionality of final layout. This led the design decision to place the multistory Phase 1 addition south-west of the existing facility. Building services and their associated site access were incorporated into this addition to facilitate the phasing. Service along the south of the site also provided for safe separation of service traffic from students and visitor circulation.
- Site programs were located to utilize the limited site acreage, comply with zoning setbacks and avoid the stream/floodplain bisecting the property. Factors such as pedestrian safety, school safety, and topography were considered in developing the organization of the campus layout. Resulting design kept most site programming in its current general location while accommodating an enlarged building footprint, establishing a separate bus loop per BCPS standard practice, and increasing onsite parking. Retaining walls providing additional flat usable acreage for site programming were required to achieve these goals. Tennis courts were shifted to the south to address topography and provide accessible routes through the center of the site.
Question: Will the school construction be performed in phases? If yes, include tentative durations.
Answer:
- Yes. It will be performed in three phases over an approximately 5-year period.
- Pre-Construction: Install two 10-classroom modular buildings on the existing tennis courts. Estimated duration: Modular classroom construction completed in April 2025.
- Phase 1: Construction of new addition including new large public spaces (gymnasium, cafeteria, learning commons). Construction of stadium area and some athletic fields. Estimated duration: 24-26 months.
- Phase 2: Demolition of portions of the existing building, renovation of portions of the existing building, and new construction of the elevated classroom bridge. Estimated duration: 24-30 months.
- Phase 3: Demolition of the existing gym and cafeteria, renovation of the auditorium, and construction of new main entrance and Administration area. Estimated duration: 12-14 months.
Question: Where will the contractor laydown areas be during each phase of construction?
Answer:
- Due to the length of the project, construction laydown areas will shift throughout the project. These areas will always be contained within the construction fencing.
Question: Will school construction be performed during the school year or during school breaks?
Answer:
- Construction will be performed during the entire year. Construction activities and school activities will be physically separated by construction fencing.
Question: What will be the contractor’s normal working hours?
Answer:
- Anticipated normal working hours will typically be Monday through Friday 7 a.m. -5 p.m. Contractors will have options for overtime hours and/or weekends to maintain project schedules.
Question: Will contractor traffic and operations interfere with the school’s arrival and dismissal procedures?
Answer:
- Contractor traffic and operations will not interfere with the school’s arrival and dismissal procedures. Deliveries will be coordinated to avoid arrival and dismissal times.
Question: Will the availability of major athletic fields/courts be impacted by the project? If yes, when?
Answer:
- Yes. All athletic fields/courts will be impacted, as they will all be replaced as part of this project.
- The area east of the stream, including the stadium, will be constructed during Phase 1 and will be available upon completion of this phase.
- The baseball field, softball field, and large multipurpose field will have limited availability during construction. Please refer to the latest community presentation available on this Web site.
- The tennis courts will be unavailable for the entire project's duration, beginning when modular classroom buildings are installed until the end of the project.
- Note: Grassed areas will need 12-15 months, depending on weather, to stabilize before the fields can be used.
Question: Where will practices and games be held during construction since the stadium and fields will be closed?
Answer:
- The Department of Athletics is currently working with the Towson HS Athletic Director and the Towson Recreation and Parks Community to secure fields for the 25-26 school year. Schedules for the fall season practice and game locations will be finalized in July. The school, coaches and administration will communicate with all stakeholders the date, time and location of all practices and games to ensure a smooth transition into the 25-26 athletic season.
Question: Will lighting be provided for athletic fields/courts?
Answer:
- New focused LED lighting will be installed for the new tennis courts with new lighting controls that will limit the hours of usage.
- On-Off timing to be preset as determined by Towson High School and the Baltimore County Department of Recreation and Parks. Exact timing is under review. Consideration will be given to having the tennis court's lighting turned off at a reasonable time.
- Although lighting will not be provided as part of this project, BCPS will provide underground conduit during construction for potential future lighting in the stadium and other athletic fields.
Question: Will trees be removed on the south side of the school addition adjacent to neighboring properties on Hastings Road? If so, will landscaping be provided to buffer the south side of the school?
Answer:
- Yes. Trees must be removed from school property on the south side adjacent to the new service road and associated retaining wall. Landscaping is designed in accordance with Baltimore County requirements, and BCPS is exceeding the basic requirements to provide an “enhanced landscape buffer” planned in this area. Please refer to the latest presentation on this Web site.
Question: How will the root systems of existing trees that will remain on the south side of the school be protected during construction?
Answer:
- Root pruning will be used to minimize the impact of construction on existing trees that are to remain. In areas where the trees are near the installation of the super fence diversion, hand pruning will be done to preserve the trees. An arborist will be on-site to provide oversight of the care and preservation of the trees.
Question: How is stormwater management and sediment control being handled on the site?
Answer:
- All stormwater facilities, including underground storage structures, will be designed according to Baltimore County Department of Environmental Protection and Sustainability requirements.
- Erosion and sediment controls to prevent sediment leaving the site during construction will be designed in accordance with the Baltimore County Soil Conservation District requirements.
- Towson High School is in the Herring Run watershed, which requires that 100-year management be provided onsite. The stormwater management facilities have been designed to ensure that the flows from the site do not cause an increase in flows to the downstream properties.
Question: Will the main entrance to the school change when the project is completed?
Answer:
- Yes. The new main entrance to the school will be on the eastern side accessed from Aigburth Road. The existing entrance facing Cedar Avenue will remain and be used as a staff entrance. Please refer to the latest community presentation available on this Web site.
Question: Will new pedestrian routes be created from the surrounding neighborhoods to the new school entrance?
Answer:
- Yes. New and safe pedestrian paths will be installed throughout the school campus linking the neighborhoods with the school building, parking lots, and athletic facilities.
- Existing pedestrian paths on the south edge of site, including dirt pathway parallel to Hastings Road and the bridge by the baseball field, will remain and be connected to new pathways.
- The dirt pathway near the bridge by the baseball field will be closed for the duration of construction due to safety concerns.
Question: Will students remain at the school during construction?
Answer:
- Yes. With the aid of new modular classroom buildings, the project will be phased so that students can remain on site but safely separated from all construction activities and workers.
Question: How will the new school entrance impact bus and car circulation (if new) in the adjacent neighborhood?
Answer:
- New bus and car drop-off loops will be off Aigburth Road. These loops are designed to remove most of the cued traffic from the public roads. Please refer to the latest community presentation available on this Web site.
Question: Will there be future opportunities for community updates?
Answer:
- Any updates prior to advertising the project for bid will be posted to this Web site.
- An informational community meeting will be held prior to the start of construction, which will detail phasing, updated durations, and mitigation of the impacts to the school and surrounding community. School neighbors and community associations will be notified of dates/times. This meeting was held April 10, 2025.
- Important updates during construction will be posted to this Web site.
Question: How will the new Modular Buildings be delivered to the site?
Answer:
- The Modular Building contractor will deliver units in mid-October 2024. These will be offloaded from Cedar Avenue and temporarily staged on the staff parking lot before being placed on the tennis courts.
Question: What type of construction traffic can be expected on Hillside Ave during the construction duration?
Answer:
- Upon commencement of Phase 1, construction traffic entering the site from Hillside Ave will be limited to cars and light trucks. Large equipment and deliveries will be routed from York Rd to the site via Aigburth Rd.
- The Construction Manager is investigating offsite parking accommodation for contractors to minimize neighborhood impact.
Question: How is the mechanical equipment noise and screening being addressed to limit neighbor impact?
Answer:
- Mechanical equipment has primarily been located within enclosed penthouses to visually screen and reduce noise. The remaining mechanical items are located on the building roofs (rather than on the ground) to limit sound pollution. Noise generating electrical equipment such as transformers and generators are located behind 12’ masonry screen walls to limit noise and visibility.
Question: What is the schedule for dumpster service?
Answer:
- The exact timing for garbage and recycling pickup at its proposed location will be coordinated with sanitation company the spring before turnover of Phase 1. BCPS facilities will work with this sanitation company to arrange as late a pickup time as possible without interfering with student and staff traffic.
- Garbage and recycling collection vendor contracts prohibit pickup earlier than 7 am.
Question: How are bathrooms designed? Bathrooms are a hot spot for bullying, misbehavior, etc.
Answer:
- BCPS Planning and Curriculum staff specifically raised this issue early in design. The new design incorporates the following updates: corridor doors are not provided, though visual privacy of the stalls and stall doors is maintained, sinks are relocated to the bathroom entrance where they can be supervised from the corridor.
- Additional unisex toilet rooms are provided at each group toilet room cluster.
Question: Is adequate school storage provided for in the design?
Answer:
- Yes, storage capacity is designed to meet educational specifications developed by BCPS.
Question: How will regulated materials in the existing building be addressed?
Answer:
- The Industrial Hygienist on design team has performed a thorough survey of the building to locate and identify any building materials with special handling or disposal requirements. A full report of their findings and an abatement design have been developed and will be issued to the demolition subcontractor. All such materials will be removed from the building as a part of this project.
- Per BCPS policy, abatement activities may only proceed on days when no students or members of the public are allowed on site. Proper notice and signage will be provided before abatement activities according to state law.
Question: Will the pedestrian bridges to the Towson High School stadium and behind the baseball field be replaced?
Answer:
- The pedestrian bridge to the Towson High School stadium will replaced as part of the school project. It is presently scheduled to be replaced in Phase 1 of Construction.
- The pedestrian bridge behind the baseball field will not be replaced as part of the school project. This bridge was scheduled to be replaced as part of the Baltimore County Department of Public Works and Transportation (DPWT) Six Bridges Trail project.
Question: There are trees outside of the Limit of Disturbance that are decaying and may be potentially dangerous – some are on BCPS property, some are not. Will BCPS entertain removal of these trees?
Answer:
- BCPS will review requests on a case-by-case basis when the major tree removal effort is underway. Changes in the approved landscaping plan may have to be reviewed by Baltimore County and may adversely affect the approved permit drawings.
Question: What is the building height and distance from the property line along the southern property boundary?
Answer:
- The 5-story portion of the building is 77'-4" tall. At its closest point, the building is 134' away from the property line.
Question: Where is the Andrew List memorial bench?
Answer:
- The List family is in possession of the bench.