About $5M Shaved Off Arlington HS Cost Gap

ARLINGTON, MA — Officials are chipping away at a nearly $30 million gap between the latest cost estimate of the Arlington High School Building Project and the approved project budget. In November, the AHS Building Committee said it would examine ways to more closely align the project with its approved budget.

The Committee this week said a review of the project with the design and construction team led to about $5 million getting cut from the cost gap. There is now a $24.7 million gap between the estimate and budget.

Project officials said they have been considering listing some items as alternatives, which would allow them to be included later in the project if there was room in the budget. The inclusion of some large items, such as geothermal wells, lighting and artificial turf for athletic fields, bike path connection, pedestrian stairs and ramp on the east side, and modified materials and design, could mean the exclusion of others, according to the Committee.

The Committee will next meet Dec. 17 to discuss the project team's suggestions. The aim is to make final decisions on aligning the project with its budget. A second meeting is scheduled Dec. 18 if needed.