Committee gets update on new East Providence High School plans

Approves site reviews requested by RIDE

By Mike Rego
Posted 12/15/17

EAST PROVIDENCE — As part of its ongoing effort to adhere to state guidelines for the potential construction of a new high school, the school committee at its Tuesday, Dec. 12, meeting approved …

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Committee gets update on new East Providence High School plans

Approves site reviews requested by RIDE

Posted

EAST PROVIDENCE — As part of its ongoing effort to adhere to state guidelines for the potential construction of a new high school, the school committee at its Tuesday, Dec. 12, meeting approved some $35,000 towards site reviews requested by the Rhode Island Department of Education.
Ward 3 committee member Nate Cahoon, who serves as the building sub-committee chairman, explained RIDE has requested additional information pertaining to possibly building a new high school on the current Pawtucket Avenue grounds not previously included in the proposal.
The committee eventually backed contracting the Boston-based architectural firm SMMA to author a geo-technical survey, a traffic analysis and a hazmat analysis approximated to be at the aforementioned cost of $35,000.
In addition, Mr. Cahoon told the committee the previously approved specs of the new building continue to be “tweaked,” saying the just-backed plan for the structure to be 330,000 square feet has been reduced slightly. Also, as part of the high school plan, RIDE has asked the district to include estimates for repairs needed to all of its school buildings, broken down over 5- and 10-year periods.
In addition, Mr. Cahoon and At-Large Committeeman Joel Monteiro, also a building committee member, told their peers of a request to SMMA to revise the capacity of the auditorium included in the new building specs. SMMA estimated an auditorium to seat 800. The buildings committee has increased that figure to 1,200. The current Elmasian Auditorium at EPHS seats 1,100. Mr. Monteiro said the larger auditorium as well as recreational facility/gymnasium would increase the ability of the spaces to be used for “community services.”
At a special session on the new high school topic held December 4, the committee viewed a presentation from SMMA exploring building schematic options available to the district. The board later voted unanimously in support of constructing from scratch a new high school on the existing footprint at the Pawtucket Avenue location.

Key points from the SMMA presentation were as follows:

  • The new building would continue to house grades 9-12
  • The projected enrollment is 1,600 students
  • Build to create three-story classroom “hubs, neighborhoods”
  • Would allow for comprehensive program blending vocational and college curricular programs
  • The gross square footage would increase to 330,000 (approx.)

The committee settled upon one of five plans created by SMMA to rebuild at the Pawtucket Avenue site, referred to in the presentation at Option B.1, including the following important points:

  • Creating two separate entries and drop-off
  • Creates loop for bus circulation & security
  • Removes pool to locate school closer to Pawtucket Avenue
  • The majority of classrooms to have south or north facing exposure
  • Clear view corridors for site observation
  • Expands current football field and track to support multi-sport fields; existing Baseball Field remains
  • Soccer, softball fields moved to location where current building is situated; allows for opportunity for spectator seating in slope along Pawtucket Avenue
  • Constructing new tennis courts for tournament play without lighting

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MIKE REGO

Mike Rego has worked at East Bay Newspapers since 2001, helping the company launch The Westport Shorelines. He soon after became a Sports Editor, spending the next 10-plus years in that role before taking over as editor of The East Providence Post in February of 2012. To contact Mike about The Post or to submit information, suggest story ideas or photo opportunities, etc. in East Providence, email mrego@eastbaymediagroup.com.