The Middle School Building Committee is breathing a little easier after the updated building estimate at the 90 percent level came in 1.9 percent higher than the November estimate. The construction cost is pegged at $87.4 million, or $613 per square foot. The overall project cost is estimated now at $109.8 million.
The current near-final estimate is within the scope of the special Town Meeting article which seeks $7.2M to cover the higher cost of the project since the town voted $102.8M a year ago to build a new school on the Old Marlboro Road campus of the Sanborn building. Ian Parks of Hill International, a construction and project management corporation, guided the committee through the new estimates saying the variance between the 60 percent and 90 percent estimates is $964,000.
The Select Board voted to cap the total at $110M for the Town Meeting on Jan. 19. Select Board Chairman Matt Johnson said the number is “within the limit, ever so slightly.” “This is good news,” said Building Committee co-chair Pat Nelson.“ The escalation hasn’t gone way up.”
If Article 5 on the warrant passes by a two-thirds majority at Town Meeting, the matter needs ratification by a simple majority at the polls on Feb. 16.
