Crocker School construction options unveiled by board
FITCHBURG » It’s been over two years since a pipe burst in Crocker Elementary School, damaging ceiling tiles that contained asbestos and forcing administrators to close the building for over a year.
On Thursday, the district’s Building Committee revealed three preliminary designs and related costs for either renovating the existing school or constructing a new building at the same site.
Tony DiLuzio, project manager, said the district hopes to submit its preferred option to the Massachusetts School Building Authority by Sept. 7.
The first option, presented by Project Architect Diana Ostberg, would focus on renovating the current building at 200 Bigelow Road and constructing a two-story addition on the north side.
Ostberg said the wing to the west of the building would be demolished to make way for recreational fields. A new facade would be developed at the front of the building and the gym would be expanded to meet current regulations.
Classrooms would be expanded and restroom sizes would meet the expected occupancy for the coming years, she said.
Ostberg said there are some limitations when it comes to space, however.
“Our new space may not bring us the same value per square foot
as a new building would,” she said.
The cost estimate for this option is $64 million to $66 million, but Ostberg said the current estimates are rough and expected to change.
Both the second and third options, Options B and C, would see the construction of a new Crocker Elementary School. Each option would allow the current building to remain intact during construction to limit interruptions to learning.
The design for Option B calls for a two-story building and is estimated to cost $70 million to $72 million.
Based on a list of priorities provided by the MSBA, this design scored better compared to the other two options in terms of educational opportunities, safety, flexibility, aesthetics, and more.
Option C, a new building, would have three stories and has an estimated cost of $72 million to $74 million.
According to DiLuzio, a fourth design option considered the potential of doing repairs to the school now to bring the building back up to code. Those repairs would cost about $30 million.
However, this option is not being considered, he said.
The designs, layouts, and other related documents will be available on the district’s website and social media.
The city is currently eligible for an 80% reimbursement of up to a $60 million project from the MSBA, meaning the city would need to provide up to $12 million, DiLuzio said. That money might be raised using municipal bonds, he said.
However, DiLuzio said building a new school would probably exceed $60 million and would result in a greater cost to the city. When Crocker closed in 2018 after a burst steam pipe, students attended classes at the former St. Anthony’s School and Lunenburg’s former T.C. Passios Elementary School.
The elementary school opened in 1964 and served students in pre-K to fourth grade. It has not been renovated since 1990, according to the MSBA.
The next step for the district will be to approve a building design and submit the proposal to the MSBA for approval by Sept. 7.
The building committee will meet again at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 1, to discuss the matter further.