Special Edition of The What: School Construction

Monday, January 6

Happy Monday! Now that students are back in school following the holiday break, we’re diving into school construction around southwest Connecticut. 

According to facilities plans from across the region, there are more than an estimated $2.5 billion worth of improvements that are needed at school buildings over the next decade or two. 

However, increasing construction costs have caused concerns about funding for these projects. Some officials have said plans may need to be scaled back to avoid raising taxes on residents or asking the state for additional funding, while others continue to press for addressing the needs in our schools. 

As budget seasons around our region start to heat up, now is a great time to learn more about what school facility needs are, how districts plan to meet them, and how much that will cost you. 

A Growing Need for Improved School Facilities in Southwest Connecticut

Craig Berendowski, a parent of three children in the Greenwich school district, stood up in front of dozens of his fellow parents and residents during last year’s budget hearing. For Berendowski, facility challenges at his son’s school, Old Greenwich, hit close to home that year.

“My 9-year-old broke his leg a few weeks ago and this became very real to him,” he said. “Three decades of neglect was a personal thing for him. He loves school so much, you can imagine his crushing defeat when he realized he might not be able to attend school because his classroom is on the third floor.”

Issues with accessibility aren’t just happening at Old Greenwich. A review of school district facility plans from across southwest Connecticut showed that dozens of schools are in need of repairs. 

Learn more about the needs school districts have. 

What’s the Cost of Updating Southwest Connecticut Schools?

School facilities’ needs are quite documented and many community leaders say they’re extremely necessary. However, the cost to make the improvements is steep. Based on the facilities plans from around southwest Connecticut, making the proper infrastructure investments will cost more than an estimated $2.5 billion. 

But as some districts, particularly Stamford, have seen, that number is likely an underestimate as construction costs have skyrocketed. With projects costing more than ever, some officials worry that not all the work will be possible.

Stamford Board of Finance member Mary Lou Rinaldi expressed her frustration in particular with the escalating cost of the Westhill High School project and its impact on the overall school facilities’ plan.

“I find this whole process just abysmal,” she said at the August Board of Finance meeting. “I’m not committing to anything beyond the $300 million [the original projection for the project.] This is just a runaway and if Westhill is this far off what are the other schools going to be?”

Learn more about the costs of school construction.

What’s the Impact of the Increased Cost of School Facilities Across Southwest Connecticut?

When the first project in line balloons in cost, such as it did in Westhill’s case, local officials said they’re concerned about the impact this will have on future projects that are part of the long-range facilities plans. 

For example, at its September meeting, the Stamford Board of Finance voted 4-2 against advancing two contracts for preconstruction and schematic design work to build a new K-8 Roxbury School. Members said they wanted to see the issues with Westhill resolved first, before taking the steps on the next school on the list. 

“There are so many open issues that need to be moved forward on Westhill, I wonder if it’s financial malpractice for us to proceed with another major project at this particular moment,” said board member Dennis Mahoney. 

Learn more about the impact escalating construction costs are having on school districts’ budgets.

A Look at Active School Construction in Norwalk and Darien

For the first time in more than 40 years, there’s a new school being built in South Norwalk. The goal of the Pre-K through 5th grade building is to provide a community school for one of the most diverse areas of the city that has been lacking that facility. 

Earlier this summer, Darien officials broke ground on the Hindley, Holmes, and Royle renovation projects. The projects, which will include extensive renovations to all three elementary schools, are projected to cost just over $100 million combined. 

“The fact that these buildings here are being renovated and not torn down is a testament to those buildings being built at high quality back when they were constructed,” First Selectman Jon Zagrodzky said at the groundbreaking ceremony. “These buildings are going to last well into the future and provide education for Darien’s kids. 

Explore the school construction projects currently underway in Norwalk and Darien.

School Construction Updates: Roxbury Support, Westhill Concerns, South Norwalk Steel Topping

Following our initial school construction reporting, we checked in on some updates in Stamford and Norwalk. In Stamford, residents are voicing their support for the Roxbury School project, while members of the Board of Finance are planning to ask the city for updates to the Westhill High School project first. Meanwhile in Norwalk, the South Norwalk School hit a milestone with a steel topping ceremony. 

Check out the updates from Stamford and Norwalk.

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Have a great week,

Kelly Prinz

Founder, Reporter at Coastal Connecticut Times