Scituate's New School Building Project Enters Design Development Phase

Project team refines plans, conducts site investigations as construction timeline takes shape

SCITUATE, MA - August 12 - The Scituate School Committee received an update Aug. 12 on the new school building project, which has entered the design development phase following successful ballot and Town Meeting votes. John Lemieux from Vertex, the project manager, and Don Walter from Dorn, the architect, presented the current status and upcoming steps in the project's timeline.

"We're in about the second fifth of design development, which is about five months," Lemieux said. "It's really about taking that schematic design that was the basis of the SD submission to the MSBA, and really starting to develop that into a set of what will ultimately be biddable plans and specifications."

The project team has conducted site subsurface investigations, including test fits and soil borings. Walter reported, "We did find them to be sandy, cobbly soil. So really good gravel from a geotechnical perspective to be supporting the structure that's going to be on top of it."

Geo-environmental analysis and soil sampling yielded positive results. "We're having reports that we found essentially clean soils out there," Walter said. "So that just may affect our budget in a positive manner, which is good because we've been carrying money, not knowing exactly what was under there."

Based on these findings, the team is developing stormwater design plans. Meetings with the Planning Board and Conservation Commission are upcoming.

Plans, exterior elevations, and interior materials are being refined, while mechanical systems are being upgraded. A traffic study will commence after school starts to track trips to and from the site.

Hazardous materials consultants have revisited both Hazard and Cushing buildings. "As of today, everything looks consistent with what we found during schematic design," Walter reported.

The project's total budget is $119.4 million, a figure that cannot be exceeded without additional town approval. The construction budget is estimated at $90 million. To manage costs, the team may employ value engineering and alternates.

Lemieux explained, "What we don't do is say, oh, we're only a million over. We'll take it out of contingency. No, right then and there, we want to make sure we get that construction number back down to the 90."

Two independent cost estimates will be conducted to ensure accuracy. "We hope that we see bids anywhere from 88, to your point, to 92. And that 90 should be the bid that's right smack in the middle," Lemieux added.

The timeline aims for construction to be completed and doors to open for students in fall 2027. The project team will continue to provide updates to the School Committee and community as the design development phase progresses.

Superintendent Burkhead emphasized the importance of fiscal responsibility, stating, "I just wanted to thank our entire team for including the school committee for being, you know, fiscally responsible."