New Central Middle School Gets OK From Greenwich Planning & Zoning

GREENWICH, CT — The Greenwich Planning & Zoning Commission on Tuesday approved plans for a new Central Middle School.

Commissioners approved a final site plan and special permit for the new 129,000-square-foot school. The price tag is expected to be around $112 million and be a little over 129,000 square feet.

The vote on Tuesday was 4-1, with Commissioner Peter Levy voting "no."

Levy criticized several architectural details of the school, and said the building "doesn't give a classical sense of pride in public buildings."

Planing & Zoning Commission Chair Margarita Alban praised the CMS Building Committee for their work on the project.

"The building committee has done a very thorough job," Alban said.

Alban said the project should go back before the Architectural Review Committee, which is advisory to P&Z, to discuss details related to color and some building materials.

CMS was built in 1958, and was closed for a brief period in 2022 after an inspection found structural concerns.

The new building will be constructed just north of the current school, with a new extended driveway, a separate bus loop and new parking areas.

The existing school will continue to function until the new structure is complete and receives a final certificate of occupancy.

Once abatement and demolition of the existing school building is complete, the athletic fields will be moved to the previous building location.

On-site parking will increase from 98 to 122.

A traffic impact study for the project noted a large percentage of students walk to school or are driven to school

Current and proposed traffic operation of the intersections in the immediate vicinity of CMS function at a level "F" or lower at the a.m. or p.m. peaks, documents with the application state. T

The proposed school replacement "does not appear to negatively impact these analyses," submitted documents say.

"The commission finds the building committee has been diligent in its efforts to enhance traffic and pedestrian safety in this application," Alban said.

During a public hearing portion on Tuesday, CMS Principal Tom Healy spoke briefly and urged the commission to green light the project.

"It's been so impressive what a collaborative effort across so many different people and bodies and input it has been. It's been awe-inspiring," Healy said. "We all know that various compromises have been needed along the way, but we're very proud of the product we have in front of you."

During the CMS Building Committee's most recent community forum in May, committee Chair Tony Turner said the project could go out to bid in mid to late summer, with construction possibly beginning in December.

Officials have said in the past that the school could open in summer 2026