Voters Approve $70M Wayland High School Construction
Illustration/Courtesy
A rendering of the planned $70 million high school in Wayland.
After nearly a decade of trying, Wayland school officials are finally getting a new, $70.8 million high school building complex in the town after the state agreed to pick up 40 percent of the tab.
“That proved to be the pivotal piece,” Wayland Superintendent Gary Burton said. “Without state assistance, we were unable to secure approval from the voters. I think the residents understand this time around that this is a great deal that we can take advantage of.”
Now, Burton said he’s hoping to take advantage of a competitive bidding market for construction and get the project done on time and, hopefully, under budget.
To do so, the Wayland High School Building Committee is considering beginning construction of the new two-building complex at risk, meaning construction would start on some areas of the new two-building complex while other areas are still not fully designed.
Burton said he’s considering the at-risk construction because some other school districts in the state have seen construction bids coming in 25 percent under projections.
“If we can take advantage of this extremely competitive bidding environment, it may be worth it,” Burton said.
Wayland High School’s current 164,000-square-foot high school complex encompasses eight separate buildings that were all built between 1959 and 1971. Enrollment at the school is more than 850 students. The new complex will be constructed on the high school’s current parking areas.
A feasibility study conducted in June 2009, showed that seven of the eight buildings need to be replaced. The HVAC, electrical, flooring, windows and roofs all need to be replaced. Also, the complex is not handicap compliant and classrooms are undersized causing overcrowding.
Last month, Wayland residents approved the project both at the polls during a vote and at Town Meeting.
Burton said the 94 percent in favor vote at Town Meeting shows that residents realize that a strong school system with up-to-date facilities helps contribute to the demand to live in the community.
The town is expected to take out bonds during the coming years to pay for the project, including a $10 million bond in fiscal year 2011, going up to a $15 million bond in fiscal year 2013.
All property owners, businesses and residents, will be paying back those loans until fiscal year 2037. The average Wayland homeowner with a house worth $650,000 will see his or her taxes rise about $300 in FY11 and FY12. In FY 13, taxes will rise $661 above current levels, according to records from the town’s finance committee.
Meanwhile, the Massachusetts State Building Authority will reimburse the town for a total of $25 million over the course of the project.
The MSBA, which helps communities fund school building projects across the state, will reimburse Wayland on a monthly basis as invoices for expenses are audited and approved. Emily Mahlman, director of communications for the MSBA, said paying communities on a pro-pay system allows communities to not have to borrow the state’s portion of the expenses, saving money on the interest of the bonds.
The Wayland High School Building Committee has already been working with HMFH Architects in Cambridge and KV Associates in Boston to do the feasibility studies and designs.
Wayland High School Building Committee Chair Lea Anderson said she expects construction contract bids could be sent out sometime in early 2010.
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