Yesterday, the Boston City Council took up Mayor Thomas Meninos plan to acquire585 Commercial St in the North End for use as a new downtown public school. Neighbors Morgan Olson and 18-month-old sonCartersmile alongside the Mayor and City Councilor Mike Ross during the Friday announcement. An improving public school system will also likely please companies considering office space nearby; it's one more element that may help them attract and retain workers. Design work for the new school will start in the fall, with construction to follow in June 15.

Meanwhile, the building (Mitt Romneys presidential campaign HQ)-- which has water views and is walking distance to the Harborwalk, a skating rink, tennis courts, and mass transit--will be used as a transition space for the Eliot School, currently being renovated. (Just don't play with old campaign buttons, kids, they're sharp.) It will then serve at least 500 students in grades K through 8. For decades, the city has been closing downtown schools, but the pool of families with youngsters has been rising since 03: Its up by 23% downtown, 36% in Back Bay, and 20% on Beacon Hill. For the next academic year, the City projects that enrollment could be 58,271 students, the highest in eight years.