Winchester Town Meeting voted in favor of appropriating $128,623,146 to remodel the Winchester High School, expanding the school to 288,840 square feet in order to accommodate 200 additional students.
New construction is 24,563 square feet and a renovation program of 264,277 square feet, which would improve the condition of the roof, which is at the end of its life, the brick veneer, and the windows, which have been deemed inefficient.
Issues with mold, mildew and must have been long documented, the asbestos in the basement needs to be abated and and the infrastructure along with an anticipated 200 plus students heading to the high school forced Town Meeting to consider the largest fiscal undertaking of this decade.
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Architect Loraine Finnegan told Town Meeting that construction would strip back the existing skin of the current school building and would rebuild around the skeleton, which would create ten additional core academic classrooms which would fit state regulations for size, create room for new special education classrooms, update technology facilities and provide the ability to build updated science facilities. The town estimates that this project would provide a useful life of 50 years.
The renovation and addition of the Winchester High School accommodates the design enrollment of 1,370 students for grades 9 through 12. Three new academic wings, along with a new music suite, media center will be reconstructed in order to meet current educational standards.
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Finnegan told Town Meeting that they anticipate beginning this project this summer, which would include demolition and removal of all existing paved surfaces and curbing along with the beginning phases of construction. One of the most significant improvements will include ramps and egress walkways for better access in and out of the building. The Town is eligible for a grant for a 42.92 percent reimbursement from the Massachusetts School Building Authority.
Town Meeting voted 153 to 5 in favor of the appropriation.
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