Central Middle School Update
The Central Middle School Building Committee (CMSBC) held a community forum on Wednesday, March 8, to share preliminary concepts for a new CMS and allow community members to have an opportunity to submit their comments. You are welcome to watch, or re-watch, the forum on the District’s YouTube channel. Dozens of questions and comments were collected from the community members that attended and responses are now posted on the committee’s webpage.
In addition, the CMSBC and school have authorized traffic studies as part of the design and development of the new CMS campus. The exact dates are not set but will be sometime during the period of March 27 through April 6. As part of this study, there will be mechanical volume monitors and individuals, wearing Tighe & Bond branded reflective vests, on the roads at specific intersections. They will be counting vehicles and taking photographs.
Information on the great work by the CMSBC can be found on its webpage, including meeting agendas and minutes, fact sheets, and all related documents.
Old Greenwich School Update
The Old Greenwich School Building Committee (OGSBC) and architects from Silver Petrucelli & Associates will host a parent & community informational forum, virtually and in person, on Friday, March 24 at 9:00 AM in OGS’ media center. Join them to hear the mission statement, updates, and community input for the school's renovation and expansion project.
On March 16, two motions passed at the Board of Education Business Meeting:
Motion 1: The Board reaffirms its commitment to move forward on the Old Greenwich School renovation project, understanding the updated estimated project costs that the Building Committee provided last month of $35.9 million if in FY24 or $38 million if in FY25, and recognizing that the Building Committee will provide updated cost estimates based on a schematic design for renovation as well as the cost for possible new construction. Should funding be postponed in FY24, the BOE requests $1.08 million in FY24 to complete the pre-construction work of the Old Greenwich Building Committee.
Motion 2: Direct and authorize the OG Building Committee to start the Municipal Improvement process.
Information on the great work by the OGSBC can be found on its webpage, including meeting agendas and minutes, fact sheets, and all related documents.
Julian Curtiss School Update
During this FY24 budget process, GPS requested funds ($800,000) for an ADA accessible and secure front entrance, as identified in the educational specifications, approved on December 3, 2020 and reaffirmed on August 23, 2021. Our plan then calls for a renovation of the cafeteria, which is the most undersized in the district, in FY25.
On March 16, at the request of the Julian Curtiss School Building Committee, the Board of Education approved to retain Antinozzi Associates as the architects. Although approximately six firms participated in the walk through of the school as part of the bid process, at the end, only Antinozzi submitted a bid due to perceived concerns over segmented plans through multi-year project phasing, in place of a holistic approach to the building.
Antinozzi's references were checked, including officials from the Public Schools of Norwalk, Stratford, Killingly, Branford, Meriden, and West Haven. The building committee concluded their team was highly confident and adept with elementary schools, elevator installations, and ADA compliance.
The building committee is excited to work with Antinozzi moving the project forward. They have done previous work in the Town of Greenwich and are familiar with the TOG processes.
Information on the great work by the JCSBC can be found on its webpage, including meeting agendas and minutes, fact sheets, and all related documents.
GHS Front Vestibule Project
Since March 1, 2022, the Greenwich High School Vestibule Building Committee (GHSVBC) has met a total of 53 times.
At the November 9, 2022 meeting, the GHSVBC voted to accept moving forward with Design 1A. The BOE, BET, and RTM all approved this decision to move forward with the project for an additional interim appropriation of $500,000.
The approved redesign reduces the size of the project from the original educational specification square footage by roughly half, but maintains the desired character of the original design.
The GHSVBC voted to approve the construction drawing for the project (Option 1A) and presented it to the BOE at the March 16 business meeting. A meeting with the State for its approval is scheduled for March 22, 2023.
Upon approval by the State, bids will be sought with the intent to execute contracts in mid-May, 2023 and begin the Project in late June of 2023.
Target Schedule
- April 2023: Receive State approval
- May 2023: Bid project
- June 2023: Bid award and sign contracts
- End of School 2023: Construction begins, estimated 8-12 month construction timeline. Spring 2024: Landscaping scope and project close-out
Western Middle School Fields
The Western Middle School Soil Remediation project is progressing, in coordination with expert consulting firms of Langan and AECOM.
We recently received favorable news from the regulators. The latest discussions with CTDEEP have provided information that suggests a limitation to the sitewide mass excavation of two feet. The revised recommendations will hopefully decrease the volume by only removing the topsoil over a significant amount of field area.
This does not mean that the Risk Profile has been changed. The project will continue to chase and remove identified higher concentrations of known contaminates from the site and provide a two-foot cap over residual contaminates.
The change in the plan could provide relief to the project by lessening truck traffic, decreasing estimated cubic yards of contaminated fill to be disposed, reducing the amount of fill brought to the site, and most importantly, cut the down the schedule as to when the fields will be reopened to the public.
Also of significant importance is that the team continues to have positive discussions and feedback from meetings with the Town of Greenwich agencies as well as representatives from the neighboring bakery.
We have met several times with:
- The TOG Tree Warden to discuss recommendations for tree removals and planting
- The TOG Parks and Recreation Department to discuss ancillary equipment needed, including but not limited to; goals, storage units, water station, and general field layout
- The First Selectman’s Advisory Committee for People with Disabilities to discuss access routes to/from fields
- WMS Administration to discuss access to fields during project
- Bimbo Bakery Plant Manager to discuss access to the site via the bakery driveway
HVAC Chillers
The District’s facilities department has been working diligently on Greenwich High School's and Julian Curtiss School’s heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems (HVAC). Over recent school recesses and holidays, chiller units were delivered and installed in the mechanical rooms of both buildings.
At GHS, three new TecoGen chillers were placed on January 16.
A cooling tower is to arrive on site at JC for installation over the break in April. New equipment to provide cooling in the gymnasium is scheduled to arrive in late June for a summer 2023 installation and is scheduled for completion by early September. For more information, please read project notes from the facilities department.
GHS Soil Remediation
Earlier this school year, an update was given to the Greenwich community, in coordination with the Department of Public Works, on the Greenwich High School environmental remediation project.
A more detailed spring 2023 update for the GHS field remediation project is expected to be released in the near future. Field 3 is making very good progress, with the construction of the artificial turf field, bleacher area, access ramp, and steps are all underway.
In the summer of 2023, will see work on Fields 2 and 5 as well as other small areas west of the school building.
The school continues to be safe. Most of the parking spaces and athletic fields have been available for use during the school year.
Greenwich Public Schools
Email: communications@greenwich.k12.ct.us
Website: greenwichschools.org
Location: 209 Greenwich Avenue, Greenwich, CT, USA
Phone: (203) 625-7415
Facebook: facebook.com/GreenwichPublicSchools
Twitter: @GPSDistrict
Email: communications@greenwich.k12.ct.us
Location: 290 Greenwich Avenue, Greenwich, CT, USA
Phone: (203) 625-7415