New Westport school’s evolving plan, costs described

Taxpayer share estimated at $55.2 million; building move allows more ballfields

By Bruce Burdett
Posted 6/15/17

More space out back for sports fields, a glass-walled media center just in from the main entrance, and separate classroom wings for middle and high schoolers were among the features revealed two …

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New Westport school’s evolving plan, costs described

Taxpayer share estimated at $55.2 million; building move allows more ballfields

Posted

More space out back for sports fields, a glass-walled media center just in from the main entrance, and separate classroom wings for middle and high schoolers were among the features revealed two weeks ago for a proposed new school to house Westport grades 5 through 12.

Working with a big-screen 3D model, Owners Project Managers Dan Tavares, architect Jonathan Levi and the School Building Committee described the latest plans, changes and costs for the project that they hope to present to town voters late in the year.

Cost update

Total project cost is now around $95.4 million, Mr. Tavares said, of which it is anticipated that the Massachusetts School Building Authority will pay $40.2 million, leaving Westport taxpayers responsible for $55.2 million.

Of that total, building the school itself will cost about $70.2 million, study and design costs will be $700,000, fees and other ‘soft costs’ will amount to around $16 million, and demolition of the present middle school will cost $8.5 million.

If the project is approved by voters, a decision would have to be made on whether to borrow for 25 or 30 years.

While Mr. Tavares emphasized that these early numbers are subject to change, the owner of house and property valued at $400,000 would pay an additional $39 a month ($468 a year) in property taxes over the life of a 30-year borrowing term, or $37 a month ($444 a year) for a 25-year term.

Plan modifications

Among the major plan changes to the two-story, 185,600-square-foot structure is a decision “to move the building a little forward from earlier,” Mr. Levi said.

Moving the proposed school building (on the site of the now-closed middle school) about 200 feet closer to Old County Road than first proposed, allows planners space at the rear for an additional baseball field and more flexibility in the fields’ alignment, he said.

The new arrangement provides space for two baseball fields (although some suggest an extra soccer field instead), a softball field, soccer field, field hockey field and a practice field. Tennis courts are toward the rear and east of the building.

School bus drop-off would be at the rear of the building; parents would drop youngsters off at the front. After-hours building access would be via the rear of he building in the area of the gymnasium and auditorium.

The plans now provide 300 parking spaces, Mr. Levi said — perhaps more than needed, something that will receive more study.

The planners are sticking to their intention to provide separate wings for high school classrooms (to the east — right side of the entrance), and middle school (to the west — left side of the entrance).

In the middle would be shared cafeteria, auditorium, media center and outdoor courtrooms with separate access from the cafeteria for middle and high school ages.

Entering the new school from the front, students would first pass through a security vestibule, then past offices for principals (one each for middle and high school) and would quickly arrive at a glass-walled media center, a feature that he listed among the highlights of the design.

Beyond that would be the 600-seat auditorium, aligned with with stage toward the building’s south main entrance, entry doors to the rear.

Beyond that would be gymnasium space at the rear of the school.

Classrooms would be paired with each pair including a central shared teacher planning area and breakout space for working with students individually or in small groups.

A list of plan changes and possible change checklist included

Site plan refinements

• Move forward with the South scheme (200-foot setback from road

• Use existing well if possible

• Review solar orientation on baseball field

• ADA access to all tennis courts

• Consider consolidating parking into larger lots (easier snow plowing)

• Develop grading, show retaining walls

• Emphasize low-maintenance planting

Plan refinements

• Add canopy at community entrance

• Add doors to close off classroom hallways off-hours

• Review public bathroom access

• Confirm space height/acoustic separation

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A lifelong Portsmouth resident, Jim graduated from Portsmouth High School in 1982 and earned a journalism degree from the University of Rhode Island in 1986. He's worked two different stints at East Bay Newspapers, for a total of 18 years with the company so far. When not running all over town bringing you the news from Portsmouth, Jim listens to lots and lots and lots of music, watches obscure silent films from the '20s and usually has three books going at once. He also loves to cook crazy New Orleans dishes for his wife of 25 years, Michelle, and their two sons, Jake and Max.