Greenwich RTM To Consider $8.17M For Major School Renovation Project

GREENWICH, CT — The Greenwich Representative Town Meeting is scheduled to hold a special meeting on Feb. 4 to consider an $8.17 million interim appropriation for the Old Greenwich School expansion and renovation project, along with other town business.

The funding request would add $8,177,174 to the Old Greenwich Expansion/Renovation account to allow the school building committee to sign a guaranteed maximum price contract and begin construction in April.

According to explanatory comments, the additional funds are needed to close a gap between previously approved project funding and updated construction costs. The increase is attributed primarily to scope changes, escalation and market conditions, including higher trade costs and the effects of tariffs.

The project start was shifted from June 2025 to April 2026. The Board of Estimate and Taxation last month voted unanimously to approve the funds, passing the item to the RTM.

Total project costs are now estimated at $55.8 million, compared with $47.1 million previously approved by the RTM, creating the current shortfall.

If approved, the interim appropriation would allow the committee to proceed with construction rather than delay the project another year. The construction manager estimates costs could continue to rise at roughly 4 percent annually, or about $2.2 million per year.

The renovation stems from the Board of Education’s facility master plan and a 2021 resolution agreement with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights requiring the school to meet accessibility standards. The project calls for a phased, occupied renovation of the building, which opened in 1902, while classes continue for approximately 400 students.

State reimbursement is expected to cover about 20 percent of eligible costs through Connecticut’s school construction grant program, with the possibility of additional reimbursement tied to Pre-K space improvements, according to the explanatory materials.

The Feb. 4 special meeting is scheduled for 8 p.m. at Central Middle School. The meeting will also be streaming via Zoom. The full agenda can be found on the town website.