Board Agrees on Postponement of School Renovation Article-June 8, 1971

School Committee and Building Officials Pivot to Delay $60,000 Junior High South Article After $6.7 Million Architect Estimate Shocks Town Boards

Meeting in an informal session last night, school committee members agreed that they will recommend postponement of the $60,000 renovation article on Junior High South at town meeting Thursday night. The article was previously voted in a special town meeting April 12, but because of a technicality in the wording, would require a new vote. The committee’s recommendation is planned as a result of the $6.7 million preliminary estimate on the renovation and addition to the burned-out school, approximately double the town’s expected estimate.

The permanent building construction committee received this figure last Thursday night from the architect selected two weeks ago, Shepley, Bulfinch, Richardson and Abbott of Boston. The Boston architects received educational specifications just one week ago, building committee member Justin Barton noted. He maintained the architects had been working at a disadvantage as they did not have the basis of figures originally presented to town meeting and in their formal session tomorrow were short of time, with the annual town meeting set for Thursday night. Last night, Mr. Barton admitted his committee was shocked by the preliminary estimate which prompted them to call a meeting of town officials last Friday night, resulting in the return of the project to the school committee.

When town meeting members voted the school restoration in April, they were presented with an approximate figure of $3 million, with approximately $1 million of this to be recouped through insurance payments. Attending last night’s meeting, building committee Chairman Richard W. Kief quickly pointed out the $6.7 million figure was “a ball park estimate”. He noted the $170,000 appropriations made for working drawings in April would fall far short of the drawings’ cost if the project were to proceed at the $6.7 million figure. According to standard architectural fees, those plans would require between $350,000 and $400,000, he said.

Mr. Barton reviewed again the reports made by the Norwood firm, Korslund, LeNormand & Quann, Inc. leading up to the town meeting’s estimate, but School Supt. Dr. Philip O. Coakley said these preliminary estimates were made without education specifications. Dr. Coakley indicated his conferences with the Norwood firm, hired by selectmen to determine damage estimates and aid in insurance negotiations, had never reached a point beyond rough appraisals. A sketch presented at Friday’s conference showed a two-story addition to be wrapped around the present structure, with the present auditorium the only part of the original building remaining outside the new addition. Last night, Mr. Barton explained this design was not the basis of Shepley, Bulfinch, Richardson and Abbott’s preliminary estimate, which was arrived at only on square foot requirements.

He added there were no items on the architect’s scheme which were not included in the school committee’s education specifications. While maintaining cost cuts could be made in many areas, Mr. Kief said even with a reduction of $1 million to $2 million, “the situation is above and beyond the scope presented to town meeting“. Present plans call for 151,210 square feet, with 86,000 square feet in the present building estimated at $35 per square foot. The 64,000-square-foot addition was estimated at $25 per square foot by the Boston architects’ preliminary outline. School committee member Henry W. Diggs first voiced the idea of postponement with John J. Cavanaugh agreeing the committee needed more time to consider revising the specifications. Member William F. Egan concurred. Dr. Coakley suggested the board hear from the administrators involved in making the specifications as they go about the business of revising them.

Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger