The proposal for a new Taconic High School was years in the making. Initial discussions ranged from creating a regional vocational district to whether the city should pursue a two-school or "one-school" plan that would close Pittsfield High School.

With no interest in developing a regional school, the city moved forward with what eventually became a focus on renovating or rebuilding Taconic. Last fall, the School Building Needs Commission voted to pursue a new school after cost estimates for additions and renovations came in at about the same price. Projected repairs at the school with no addition were in the $36 million ballpark; state funding was limited.

The Massachusetts School Building Authority reimburses up to 80 percent of eligible costs, such as for instructional spaces. The anticipated cost is $120.8 million of which the city will be responsible for $45 million.

The City Council will vote on whether or not to fund the project on Tuesday, April 14. Following that vote, the MSBA will have to approve its own reimbursement on Wednesday, June 3.
 
At that point, design development phase in which the consultants Skanska USA will work with city officials to further flesh out details and hire a construction manager at risk. That process is expected to include a daylong session for officials to sort through all of the proposals. Ultimately, the group will determine who they'll hire to head the project and enter negotiations. Pre-construction work will also happen during this phase.
Design
Working with the MSBA, the project is based on serving 920 students. That accounts for the 750 or so currently attending the school, moving some vocational programs from Pittsfield High School to Taconic, and then an estimated 100 new tuitioned students.
 
The MSBA is the driver of enrollment projections and they are tough on it.
               Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier
While the school may not be regional, the projected enrollment increase of 100 tuition students is eyed to be the way the school can operate on a regional scale, while not creating the new district.
 
"We can be a regional solution without creating a new school district," state Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier said. "We can reasonably expect 100 additional students."





Taconic High School Today

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Design

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Site Plan

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Second Floor

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Front & Back

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Auditorium

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Future Expansion

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MSBA Process

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Academics

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First Floor

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Third Floor

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