East Middle School Renovation Could Cost Over $50 Million

BRAINTREE, MA — The East Middle School renovation is expected to cost over $50 million Superintendent Frank Hackett recently said.

In an update on the project to the School Committee, Hackett said the project, which was initially $16 million when it was just a renovation, is approaching the $50 million range as an add and renovate project . The school district is hoping for support from the Mass. School Building Authority in the form of a reimbursement in the mid to high 50 percent range.

“This is a significant project. This is a renovation of all spaces and adding of core spaces to accommodate the fifth grade,” Hackett said. “Our goal is to make sure that every student and parents walks into that school and doesn't say this is the old building and this is the new one.”

The school district is on track to submit an education plan to the MSBA by Nov. 7 and hops to be in front of the board by February. If everything goes according to scheduled, construction would begin in the spring of 2018.

During construction, the plan would be to put students into the new space while the current building is renovated, and then move the students back into the renovated space with fifth grade occupying the new space.

The middle school renovation project calls for both middle schools to be renovated along with an addition to move fifth grade from the elementary schools. A similar proposal for South Middle School is planned.

Image: Patch file photo