Middletown’s new middle-high school project is moving forward as planned, with a groundbreaking set for this spring.
Construction bids are expected to start coming in as early as next month.
At Monday night’s Town Council meeting, Town Administrator Shawn J. Brown reported that designs for the cutting-edge building at 1225 Aquidneck Ave. are almost complete.
There’s currently about a $1 million gap between the architect’s plans and the builder’s estimates. Brown is confident this can be resolved with some tweaks by the School Building Committee.
The $190 million project includes untouched contingency funds, giving some financial wiggle room.
Plans to transform the current high school on Valley Road into a Grades 2-5 learning center are also progressing well, staying on schedule and within budget.
Throughout the process, the School Building Committee is working hand-in-hand with the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE).
The project is still securing local, state, and federal approvals. The Planning Board is set to review the work later this month, while the state Department of Environmental Management and Rhode Island Department of Transportation are expected to weigh in soon.
The Federal Aviation Administration has given the green light, with no special requirements needed due to the proximity to Newport State Airpark.
RIDE has pledged to cover nearly $164 million of the project cost, including interest.
To keep the public informed, the School Building Committee holds open meetings at least twice a month. These cover various aspects of the project, from layout and traffic management to green energy initiatives.
Residents can find more information about the project at https://mdl.town/SBC. Large renderings of the building are also on display at Town Hall and other municipal buildings.
Colliers International of Providence is overseeing the project, with Gilbane Building Company of Providence managing construction.
The Town of Middletown has written more on the project update, “School Project Looking Good,” here.
