At its June 8 meeting, the School Building Committee (SBC) voted unanimously to approve the schematic design for the new Pollard Middle School at a total project budget of $325.4 million, $10.9 million less than an earlier $336 million estimate, even as the building grew by 11,000 square feet to meet the educational program.

The savings stem from a faster construction schedule, reducing Phase 2 to only the sixth grade wing, and right-sizing the building envelope. Locating the geothermal well field on Warner Field also contributed significantly, avoiding the complications of multi-phase drilling on the existing sloped site and eliminating the need for temporary mechanical systems during Phase 1. Bond Building Construction has been instrumental in refining construction logistics and scheduling, and value engineering will continue at each step of the design process.

The School Committee will vote on June 16th to authorize submission of the Schematic Design package to the MSBA, with a final SBC vote on June 22nd. The package must be submitted by June 25th to stay on track for a November override election.