Manchester committee hears update on Priority 1 school construction: schedules, soil tests and modular plans

The Manchester Committee on Joint School Buildings heard an update on the school district’s Priority 1 projects, including construction progress at Hillside and McLaughlin schools, soil testing results, plans for modular classrooms and the program budget. The committee voted to accept the report and forward it to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen and the Board of School Committee.

The update was delivered by Mark Lenfest, representing Left Field, who summarized recent work and near-term activities. “We continued pre construction meetings for group 1,” Lenfest said, and noted that early-release procurement packages for site work, steel, concrete and windows have been developed and that Consigli has mobilized on schedule at Hillside and McLaughlin.

The project team described several near-term items that matter to operations and construction sequencing. The committee was told that components for DDC controls in the ERVs used in modular HVAC units are scheduled to arrive later in April and that Triumph Modular is funding corrective work on modular HVAC units that did not perform as expected. “That’s already covered. The corrective work is being funded by Triumph Modular,” Lenfest said.

On environmental testing, Lenfest reported limited contamination at multiple sites: a “non reportable level” of contamination at Hillside, limited contamination at McLaughlin and potential testing needs at the Beach Street relocation site. He said the Hillside issue involves naturally occurring arsenic and that remediation or an action plan will be part of the project approach. The presentation noted that a terrain-alteration application for group 2 projects is required by the State of New Hampshire depending on the amount of square footage disturbed.

Committee members pressed for access to technical reports. Committeewoman Turner asked whether geotechnical and soil reports are available; Lenfest said reports for Hillside and McLaughlin are complete and can be shared, while Parkside and Southside results were still pending. Dr. Camille (Manchester School District) said update links are live on the two school pages and the district page; the Priority 1 website is under district review and had not yet been released to the public.

On schedule, the team said Group 1 mobilized April 1. McLaughlin’s addition is targeted to be complete and occupied by the end of 2026; Hillside’s extension is targeted for the end of summer 2026 with remaining work and a removal of modulars extending into 2027. The team described planned “summer slammers,” concentrated work periods when buildings are unoccupied.

Budget concerns tied to trade tariffs were discussed. The project team said current steel-price impacts are being managed within the $306,000,000 program budget by using contingencies, and that the team will report back if tariff impacts threaten the overall budget. When asked directly whether the program could remain within that figure despite tariffs, Lenfest said, “Yes. But again, that will be by using contingency that, you know, would have otherwise been earmarked for, for other purposes.”

Committee members also asked about the future of modular classrooms. The team said reuse by the city or district would be the first priority; if not needed, the modulars would be re-sold. The presentation cited 72 units across six sites and a combined cost of about $17,000,000 for those modular buildings; the project team is tracking resale value and logistics for disassembly, transport and storage.

The committee took formal action at the end of the meeting. A motion to accept the report and submit it to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen and the Board of School Committee for informational purposes was moved and seconded and approved by voice vote. A subsequent motion to adjourn was also approved by voice vote.

The committee was given links to project-specific websites for McLaughlin and Hillside (hosted by Consigli) and told the Priority 1 site hosted by the Manchester School District will link to those pages once approved. The team said additional documents, including geotechnical reports, can be shared with the committee upon request.