By Jarret Liotta
The Coleytown Middle School Building Committee tonight detailed the estimated $32 million cost to refurbish the school and won praise and applause with its projection the now shuttered facility will likely be opened for the 2020-21 school year.
Outgoing CMS PTA Co-President Sue Herman (l) and Lee Goldstein were all smiles hearing that CMS would likely open in August 2020. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Jarret Liotta for WestportNow.com
Several parents and officials at the committee meeting at Staples High School were thrilled to hear the news after earlier reports the renovation project might take longer. CMS has been closed since last September because of air quality issues, including mold.
“This committee really did tremendous work in getting our contractor, construction manager, our architect and engineers to take another look at that schedule,” said Chairman Don O’Day, with nearly all the work likely to be completed by mid-August 2020, barring issues.
Thursday night the committee will make a presentation to the Boards of Education (BOE) and Finance (BOF), and members of the Representative Town Meeting (RTM). If all goes according to plans, which includes meetings with RTM subcommittees and the BOF, the final RTM vote on the funding will take place July 16.
Cost estimates for the project disclosed earlier today in advance of tonight’s meeting include $22.3 million in construction, along with $5.8 million representing a 15-percent contingency, plus insurance and permit fees, making total construction costs $28,134,129.
“If we don’t need it, we won’t spend it,” O’Day said, explaining that the contingency estimates are likely to diminish, as the current numbers are based on schematic design rather than more detailed construction documents yet to come.
Estimates also include $2,549,127 in “soft costs,” including industrial hygiene work, moving and storage, special testing, and various fees. There is also an additional $1,288,979 estimated for alternative options that had been requested by the Board of Education (BOE), making a grand total of $31,972,235.
That adds up to about a $3,200 for every household in Westport. While the total cost would be bonded over a lengthy period, and 20% likely paid by the state if past experience is a guide, there still would be an impact on the town’s mill rate with an increase in property taxes likely, according to town officials.
The building committee estimated building a new Coleytown Middle School, now more than six decades old, would come in around $75 million.
“I would certainly recommend that nothing be removed,” O’Day said of the areas that the BOE had specified, including added security to the front of the building, air conditioning in the gym and locker rooms, and science labs.
“I believe the town is completely okay with investing in CMS for the future,” he said, noting that it would seem, for all intents and purposes, like a new building.
“It’s gonna look new,” he said. “It’s gonna feel new. It’s gonna operate new.”
“Thank you from the bottom of our hearts,” said Sue Herman, outgoing CMS PTA co-chair, who spoke alongside Lee Goldstein, CMS PTA co-chair.
“This exceeds our expectations,” she said. “It’s like Christmas in June.”
“You’re the best friends that Coleytown could have ever had,” she told the committee, “and we appreciate it on behalf of the community.”
“I couldn’t be prouder of the Coleytown Middle School Building Committee,” First Selectman Jim Marpe said. “I was excited when all of them volunteered to be a part of what was going to be a difficult challenge and they have risen to the challenge.”
“This is the information that the town needs,” he said, “in order to make the important and significant decisions that come next, but I have the utmost confidence in the quality of that information.”
While O’Day said that there were always outside possibilities of delay—possibly due to weather, material availability or the unlikely event of discovering hazardous material in the building during construction—he expressed a strong belief that it would go according to plan.
The only minor issue, he said, may be that some of the cladding will run over into September, but he said this would not impact reopening the school in August.
O’Day said his committee would continue to help in the process, keeping both the BOF and BOE up to date on progress.
According to the timeline, he said that in mid April a final decision would be confirmed, based on progress, as to whether the school would in fact open in August 2020.
Assuming funding is approved on July 16, other significant dates would include approval of construction documents on Oct. 4, awarding of contracts on Nov. 28, and construction beginning at “various 2020 dates.”
“Each and every member of this committee should be really proud of yourself,” parent Robert Harrington said.
“It didn’t seem like there was light at the end of the tunnel … but the light came on tonight,” he said.
“This is a great moment for Westport,” Harrington said.
“Thank you all for what you’ve done to advance this,” BOE Chairman Mark Mathias told the committee.
