Special Meeting Set for PHS Statement of Interest
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The School Building Needs Commission will hold a special meeting on Monday to decide if Pittsfield should seek funding from the Massachusetts School Building Authority to repair its oldest high school, PHS.
It was stipulated that if funding for the city's 20 percent match needs to be identified right now, the SOI is not currently feasible. During the commission's meeting on Tuesday, members were not comfortable moving forward without seeing the document and knowing if the money needs to be identified upfront.
Mayor Peter Marchetti still had a "bunch" of questions and concerns.
"I look at where we are today: We have a middle school restructuring project underway. We have a Crosby/Conte project underway with still no estimate of what that dollar might be, so let's just say it's a $100 million school, that's $20 million on the city taxpayers to do," he cautioned.
"Now we're going to turn around and do PHS, very little research. The number that I've seen is $73.5 [million.] By the time we get the construction and five years from now, let's put that at $100 [million.] That's another $20 million on the taxpayers to be able to do, and we have been advised by our city auditor that we're at our following capacity from an operating budget standpoint."
The commission plans to see and vote on an SOI on April 13 at 5 p.m. at Taconic High School.
Interim Superintendent Latifah Phillips identified Pittsfield High School renovations for MSBA's core program, which has a statement of interest filing period open until April 17. According to MSBA's website, the core program is intended for new construction, addition, and/or renovation projects.
To her understanding, there would be no negative implications if the Pittsfield Public Schools were accepted into the funding program and pulled out because of lack of funds, she said, "But we do recognize that the financing of the project would have to be carefully considered."
A SOI would go to the School Committee and City Council for a vote. Co-Chair Frank LaRagione said Pittsfield can submit an SOI again in two years if not on April 17.
Pittsfield High School was founded in 1844, and the current building opened in 1931. A couple of years ago, the school's three inefficient, original-to-the-building boilers were replaced.
City officials say PHS needs a new roof, new windows, improved infrastructure, and repairs to the dome.
"I think a roof, windows, and infrastructure are a minimum. That's my opinion of it. How we go about that, which avenue, I don't know, but I'm guessing the things we just talked about right there, I would say we're probably in the $35 to $40 million range," Building Maintenance Director Brian Filiault estimated.
"… If you want to get into the whole thing and do it properly, and abate the whole building and clean it all out, much bigger project, you're talking to $70-something million."
Marchetti said they may want to pursue some other avenues, potentially the accelerator repair program, which covers items like roofs, windows and heating and cooling.
Pittsfield is seeking up to 80 percent reimbursement from the MSBA to rebuild and consolidate John C. Crosby Elementary and Silvio O. Conte Community School on the Crosby property.
The MSBA invited the district to a feasibility study phase, and a selection committee chose Skanska as the owner's project manager, a hired consultant that oversees a construction or design project in the owner's interest. PPS is waiting for approval for the OPM appointment.
Tags: MSBA, PHS,
