Submitted by Hector Arzeno, State Rep (D-151) , RTM member D8. This statement went out on State Rep Arzeno’s e-blast on Friday afternoon:
It is my sincerest hope for our Town to see the Central Middle School replacement project move forward, however there continues to be a great deal of misinformation and confusion about the project perpetuated by some members of the community.
Given that the school sits squarely in the middle of my district, and as your current Representative a delegate to two committees dedicated to meeting the educational needs of Connecticut’s students, I am well versed in the facts.
Here is what you need to know about CMS at this time:
1.The deadline for submitting the project to the Office of School Construction Grants is June 30. In order to be able to submit the grant application, the project must have the full appropriation from the Town of the estimated construction cost commensurate with the educational specifications.
2.The RTM will vote on Monday evening on a capital budget for the project of $67.5MM. This was reduced in a party line vote (7-6, with BET Democrats against, tie breaking vote cast by Republican BET Chair) from $75.2MM in the First Selectman’s budget, which itself was a reduction from the $83.5MM in the BOE budget.
3.The Board of Education voted on revised educational specifications on April 24, 2023 which resulted in a building sized at 81,003 net square feet and approximately 125,000 gross square feet. This building will accommodate 420-660 students based on a two team per grade model. This is the middle school the BOE feels is appropriate to deliver instruction for CMS students for decades to come (the original building was constructed in 1957 with an addition in 2000.)
4.The CMS Building Committee (CMS BC) has been advised by its construction manager Turner Construction that comparable all-in construction costs including site work and soft costs are $715-$720/gross s.f. which means the amount allocated for the school is likely about $20MM short. ($90MM less $2.5MM already appropriated for A&E minus the $67.5MM)
5. In order for the project to proceed to start construction in July 2024, an interim request will need to be acted on. The CMS BC and team of architects are working expeditiously on a concept design, with input from P&Z, the Fire Marshal and the Tree Warden. The site placement, including choice of building materials and guidance on HVAC options (net zero or other choice) will be the basis for a project construction estimate from Turner. The most recent report from the CMS BC is HERE.
The CMS BC is expected to schedule a community forum in mid to late May with further updates.
I support moving forward with this critical replacement project using the approved BOE educational specifications, a visioning document that guides the design, and has a foundation of expert input to provide safe, accessible, and exceptional learning environments for our Greenwich middle school students.