$43M Old Greenwich School Renovations OK'd By Planning And Zoning

GREENWICH, CT — Plans to renovate Old Greenwich School were unanimously approved by the town's Planning & Zoning Commission on Tuesday.

The project will consist of a one-story, four-classroom addition of around 8,000 square feet, and a new fully accessible and secure main entrance with a redesigned plaza to allow water to flow away from the building to a drainage system.

Comprehensive ADA compliance improvements will include an elevator, internal ramps, bathroom improvements and door clearances, and there will be a new code-compliant fire protection system along with sewage, storm drainage and HVAC/mechanical upgrades.

An enclosed courtyard will provide sheltered outdoor instructional space, and there will be a new play area, revised playground spaces with a basketball court, and an accessible, raised garden planter area. New landscaping will also be added.

In May, the Representative Town Meeting approved a $501.3 million town budgetp, which included $43 million for the OGS renovations.

OGS was built in 1902, and there have been additions to the building in 1950, 1957, and 1995, with some renovations in 1993.

The building has suffered from poor ventilation, sewage problems, flooding issues, a lack of a secure entryway and fire protection, and notably ADA noncompliance over the years.

The school was also the subject of a complaint filed in 2021 with the United States Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights over its lack of accessibility.

OGS Building Committee Chair James Waters said the committee is "thrilled" that the Planning & Zoning Commission approved a final coastal site plan for the "critical renovations."

"We're thankful for all the constructive input from P&Z, town departments, and the community in helping us get this project ready for construction," Waters told Patch via an emailed statement. "This has been a true team effort all across town."

Construction is on track to start next summer, but there are some tasks the OGS Building Committee must complete to get there.

A grant application and flood management certification have been submitted to the state, and the building committee is in the process of finalizing construction documents and a draft phasing plan, Waters said. Phased construction will allow students to remain in the school while work is ongoing.

Officials plan to speak with the Board of Estimate and Taxation and RTM this fall to make sure contingency funds are in place before construction begins, Waters said.

"We look forward to speaking with the community on all of these topics in the coming months," Waters Added.