The Conservatory Lab Charter School has purchased land on Columbia Road near Uphams Corner with plans to build a new school building on the property. The school filed its initial plans with the Boston Planning and Redevelopment Authority on Aug. 31.

The proposal includes the demolition of existing structures at 395-409 Columbia Rd. in Dorchester to clear space for a new 43,500 square foot, three-story building to house the school. The site, which is currently occupied by Chapman Waterproofing Company, totals approximately 1.27 acres. The school aims to complete construction by August of 2019 with a budget of roughly $25 million.

“We are eager to create a full time home for Conservatory Lab – which currently draws nearly 40 percent of our students from Dorchester and Roxbury,” said Gary Gut, Chair of the Board of Conservatory Lab. “An improved location that is built to accommodate our curriculum and performance space needs will better serve both our students and the surrounding community.” According to the proposal, the new building would become the permanent Elementary and Upper School (grades 3-8), which is currently located at 2120 Dorchester Ave., on the Carney Hospital campus. The new site is also located less than half a mile from the current Primary School (grades K-2).

“Two permanent locations in Dorchester – on Hancock Street and Columbia Road – will cement our relationship with this community and support our ability to attract more students and their families from the surrounding neighborhoods. We look forward to sharing our plans with the community and expanding awareness of our music-based curriculum and its benefits,” said Gut.

The CLCS cited its recent increase in enrollment and “rapid growth” as primary reasons for expansion. According to the report, the number of classes at each grade level has doubled over the past three years.

The school credits its unique model, which features music-based curriculum, with its increase in effectiveness and popularity. The building would include a three story academic space, a gymnasium, and an outdoor performance courtyard. The school points to nearby institutions like the Strand Theater as resources that would enrich their academic experience: “The primary design goal for the Proposed Project is to create a learning environment that generates a vibrant physical and cultural link between the school and surrounding Uphams Corner community. The school’s mission to fuse music with learning is further supported by other locally well-known cultural assets like the Strand Theatre, within a half mile from the Proposed Project.”

The school envisions several ways in which the building will directly benefit the immediate neighborhood and Dorchester community, including the creation of construction jobs, collaboration with local arts organizations, and partnership with Boston Parks and Recreation Dept. for creative programming at nearby Ceylon Park. The CLCS hopes to begin construction by April 2018. The proposal will be subject to a large project review by the BPDA. Watch for notices of meetings on this plan in the coming weeks.