Use this search box to find articles that have run in our newspapers over the last several years.

School Department receives final estimate on high school project

Date: 9/6/2011

Sept. 7, 2011

By Debbie Gardner

Assistant Editor

WEST SPRINGFIELD —The final estimate for the cost of constructing the new West Springfield High School construction project is in, and it’s just a little over the projected figures.

According to School Superintendent Dr. Russell Johnston, the difference between the 50 percent project estimate issued in June, and the 90 percent estimate he received last week is approximately 1 percent.

The final figure for the total project budget Johnston received is $107,460,619, approximately $350,000 above the amount originally estimated as the total project budget.

Project Manager John Wenekur from Strategic Building Solutions said the final estimate includes the original $93.3 million estimate for school building and approximately $13.8 million for the alternatives.

“Nothing has changed,” he said.

Johnston said the project manager, architects and members of the School Department arrived at the final estimate by reconciling cost projections provided by two separate firms, one hired by the project management company, another by the architects.

According to Johnston, the slight increase in the total estimated cost of the project occurred in the figures for construction of the proposed maintenance building. He said as the plans were finalized, architects discovered the original plan needed to be modified.

“Though there’s a small increase, it really isn’t significant to the project,” Johnston said. “We are confident that this is an acceptable difference given the great level of detail that you get between the 50 percent and the 90 percent estimate.”

Johnston said the project has now been put out to bid and he is “looking forward” to when the actual construction bids come in in October.

“General contractors are required to submit their bids on or about Oct. 7, and subcontractors are to file their bids on or about Sept. 22,” Johnston said, adding the School Department plans to go with the lowest construction estimate when choosing a company to build the school. “We will award the job in October, with groundbreaking in late October or early November.”

Debbie Gardner can be reached by e-mail at debbieg@thereminder.com



Bookmark and Share