New Middle School Could Cost Hingham $35.8 Million

According to discussions at last night's School Building Committee, the final reimbursement figure for the Middle School Project will be decided upon when the MSBA board meets in September and could cost the town of Hingham $35,867,232.

Before reimbursement from the MSBA, the estimated total project budget for the Model Middle School could be $61,749,189. This cost is not confirmed yet  and would include a maximum reimbursement to the Town by the MSBA of 44.42 percent (excluding $2,113,500 for non-reimbursable items such as storage, sewage system and field toilet).   To achieve this total, the committee has asked designer Ai3 to consider Value Engineering, in other words to look at the Schematic Design already submitted to the MSBA on August 19 and see where savings or amendments can be made without compromising the educational program required.

Jim Jordan of designer Ai3 called it “a balancing act” and will be looking at options such as reducing the finished carpentry in the lobby areas and auditorium, installing temperate air systems, removing the dishwashing facility for student utensils and not building an outdoor basketball court.

The bidding climate has changed even in the last four months with a reconciled estimate of $301.92 per square foot for construction excluding ‘soft costs’,  and the Building Committee immediately decided that a figure of $290 would be a more reasonable figure to work with.
Since the Town Meeting in April, the Building Committee has stressed that the figure of $50,000,000 to $57,000,000 was only an estimate based upon a proposed 176,385 square feet at a cost of $280 per square foot.

Ray Estes, Chair of Building Committee, has been careful to make the public aware that the climate may “not be as competitive as we perhaps thought” when the project goes out to bid in Spring/Summer of 2012 and that the Town should be prepared for the “real possibility that the project costs are higher than originally anticipated.”

The MSBA has not received a projected budget total from Building Committee but it is anticipated that this will be submitted later this week following continued discussions and the presentation before the Board of Selectmen. There are also some areas that are not eligible for reimbursement by the MSBA and these will have to be added to the projected costs that will be assumed by the Town.

The Warrant Article will be formally submitted tonight to the Selectmen in the anticipation that a Special Town Meeting can be held in October where the model school project and the proposed renovation of the High School track can be voted on by Hingham residents.

It was also advised last night that another Warrant Article in connection with this project has been delivered to Selectmen with a request for an alternative renovation plan for the Middle School to be considered. This would draw on any unexpended funds from the current $600,000 that was granted to the Building Committee in April to draw up Schematic Designs and pursue the MSBA suggestion of entering the Model School Program.