By Linda Lambeck

WESTPORT _ A new Long Lots Elementary School will cost between $80 million and $102 million, depending on its size, and could be ready to open in fall, 2026.

That’s the word from Collier International, the school district’s construction consultant, which is scheduled to present a proposal to the Board of Education tomorrow (Monday) night.

Scarice Recommending Town Start the Process

Supt. of Schools Thomas Scarice said his administration is recommending that the board initiate the process to build a new elementary school on the Long Lots campus on Hyde Lane to serve both that school’s student population and the Stepping Stones Preschool, which is currently housed at Coleytown Elementary School.

The board agenda calls for a discussion only, but Scarice, in a memo to the board, said the administration is working to determine the timing of board action, in alignment with the state Office of School Construction Grants. A vote could come at the board’s June 13 meeting to get work going during the summer on development of a Request for Proposals, geo-technical studies and environmental site assessments.

In May, the board heard from architects at QA&M that there is room to build a new school on the Long Lots property while the existing school is in use.

Renovation Not Cost-Effective

David C. Symonds, a principal with QA&M Architecture, said he did a walk-through of the existing Long Lots and deems it not to be cost-effective to renovate as new.

“There are numerous envelop deficiencies … mechanical systems (that) are beyond their current life expectancy and the existing construction would make replacement with modern, efficient systems very difficult,” Symonds said in a one-page letter to Scarice dated June 1.

Built in 1953 as a junior high, Long Lots had additions built in the 1960s and 1970s. Portions of the building are not programmatically appropriate for an elementary school and renovating as new would require a protracted construction process, according to consultants.

Long Lots projects an enrollment of 597 in the fall of 2022, necessitating 29 home rooms — one more than it has now — according to an analysis provided to the board by Long Lots principal Kimberly Ambrosio and Ali Moran, K-5 curriculum coordinator.

Long Lots Enrollment Rising

 Enrollment at the school is nearly 10 percent higher than five years ago.

Since 2018, air quality and ventilation concerns have prevented some rooms in the school from being used by students, school officials said. They cite a need for more collaborative learning spaces, more storage and better lighting. The existing cafeteria is considered too small, while the auditorium takes up a significant amount of space, they said.

Charles Warrington, director of project management for Colliers, said in a memo to Scarice that the $80 million to $102 million price tag depends on the size of the building. Drawings presented to the board range from 101,000- to 108,000-square feet.

Stepping Stones Relocation Favored

District officials favor the larger size as it would accommodate Stepping Stones.

The draft budget is based on bids received this past November for comparable new elementary schools. It includes all furniture, fixtures, equipment, fees and expenses, as well as a contingency budget.

 Also penciled in is the eventual demolition of the existing school unless it is kept as a swing space school when Coleytown Elementary gets its shot at renovation or replacement.

It is anticipated the state would pick up about 11 percent of the project costs, leaving the town to pay between $73 million and $93 million.

Under a draft project schedule, funding approval would come next spring. There would then be a 15-month design phase and a 15-month construction period. Students could start using the building in the fall of 2026.