School Building Committee sets cost estimate, narrows study sites
School Building Committee agreed on a $125 million to $175 million cost estimate and designated four public sites for feasibility study.
School Building Committee · Meeting of July 9, 2026
IPSWICH — School Building Committee agreed on a $125 million to $175 million cost estimate and designated four public sites for feasibility study. Chair Michael S. Dougherty led the committee to consensus on the broader cost range, rejecting a lower $100 million to $150 million recommendation and accepting that costs remain uncertain at this planning stage.
Members agreed to exclude Bialek Park due to Article 97 legal complexities and declined to pursue private sites due to additional cost and time. Director of Finance Thomas Markham outlined a timeline targeting the MSBA's November 2 OPM Selection Panel, with Request for Services responses due September 2 and the preferred owner's project manager recommendation to the MSBA by October 7.
In the full story:
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Source: the School Building Committee meeting of July 9, 2026, compiled from the official minutes.
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