HOLYOKE — An important step in constructing a new $85.5 million middle school began Tuesday when city and school officials announced the pending start of demolition of the old William R. Peck School.

Abatement, demolition and fill of the property will go until December. Construction of the 105,000-square-foot building will begin in February and last 18 months, with an opening planned for fall 2025.

“There’s a lot of sentimental value to me personally about this school but I’m still really happy to see it come down and our students have the opportunity to go attend a brand-new, state-of-the-art middle school,” Holyoke Public Schools Superintendent Anthony Soto said. “I appreciate the collaboration with the school committee and the building committee and members of the city council that supported this project. It sends a really strong message to our kids and to our community that we as a city value you and we’re willing to invest in you and your future.”

The MSBA granted Holyoke $46 million in June to fund the new building. The city will pay the remaining $40 million through long-term bonds and federal funds from American Rescue Plan Act and Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund rather than raise taxes.

“I do just want to quickly thank everybody that’s been involved in this process the last couple years, from the school administration, members of the school board, all members of our council, more importantly the members of the public who came together and finally came together with the solution of building one middle school,” Holyoke Mayor Joshua A. Garcia said.

The 550-student middle school design is a two-story building with a courtyard in the center. The first floor includes classrooms, science labs and administration offices. The second floor encompasses art, technology and media rooms, the gymnasium and a combined cafeteria and auditorium.

This specific school design was picked from MSBA’s existing models and has been used three times, mostly recently to build Goodnow Brothers Elementary School in Marlborough.

Contractors for the demolition, American Environmental Inc. will oversee the abatement, demolition and site-fill steps of the project. Bids for a contractor to construct the building will open in December and the lowest bidder will begin construction in February.

Problems with the Peck School building consist of classrooms without windows, mechanical systems missing parts no longer made or at the end of their lifespan, unusable science labs and a hexagonal design that hinders visibility of halls.

During demolition and construction of the new school, Sullivan School, Holyoke STEM and Metcalf Middle School will serve all middle schoolers in the city.

The city has pressed for a new middle school since 2016 after a consulting firm hired by Holyoke Public School District inspected the school buildings and declared Peck School unfit to meet students’ needs. Two years ago, voters rejected a question on the ballot requesting a debt-exclusion override for a new Peck School and H.B. Lawrence Elementary School.

“I feel like we’ve been fighting this fight for decades to try and get a new building here in the city, and I cannot wait to welcome students in the fall of 2025,” said Erin Linville, chief of strategy for the Holyoke Public Schools.