South Kingstown officials say new high school likely delayed; consultants cite cost, schedule risks

Left Field and Studio Jade representatives told the South Kingstown Town Council on Feb. 10 that the planned opening of the town’s new high school is unlikely to meet the town’s previously stated goal of a September 2027 student move‑in and is more likely to occur in winter 2028. The shift follows a multi‑month value‑management effort after bids and estimates exceeded preliminary budgets.

The report came during the town manager’s update on the school building committee, where Kate Turner of Left Field said the project’s schedule “is too tight to get in for the first day of school.” Turner and other consultants described a cascade of schedule impacts after the schematic design estimate exceeded the budget and required extensive redesign and re‑estimation. Jim Rogers of Left Field said the team has tried to accelerate work but warned compressing design and construction “comes at a risk of quality control.”

The council pressed consultants and the owner’s team for more and earlier communication. Several council members said they learned of the schedule change only after the school building committee’s meeting last week and criticized the lag. Council members also asked the town manager and consultants to provide contractual documents, invoice detail, and an updated schedule showing which dates are contractually binding.

The consultants described the technical cause in these terms: the schematic design estimate produced a significant overage that required an exhaustive value‑management review to identify cost savings, then re‑drawings and re‑estimation. That value‑management work and follow‑up reviews pushed design development and early bid packages back; the team reported a new substantial‑completion milestone in October 2027 and said a January 2028 move‑in is more likely. Phil Conte of Studio Jade said the technical work merited a “solid B” while conceding communication could have been better: “on communication, we probably all could do better.”

Council questions focused on timing and money. Officials asked whether contract dates appear in the existing contracts and whether any contractor or consultant is contractually required to meet the originally published dates. Consultants and town staff said the guaranteed maximum price (GMP) had not yet been signed, and that many project contingencies (a $9 million escalator and a $10 million construction contingency were referenced during the meeting) were included in budgeting work done to that point. Council members repeatedly asked for a month‑by‑month accounting of disbursements and invoices as they are issued.

Council President McEntee and other members urged greater urgency and a different communications cadence. Council members offered to hold special meetings on short notice to review changes and asked the town manager to have the solicitor and procurement staff review contractor obligations (including any schedule or completion dates in current contracts) and return with written findings. Consultants said they would deliver revised schedule studies, cost analyses and scope reductions as soon as possible.

Next steps the council requested included: (1) providing copies of consultant and contractor contracts and recent invoices for line‑item review; (2) a written legal review of whether any contract date creates an enforceable obligation to open in September 2027; and (3) more frequent, earlier briefings to the council so that elected members can convene special sessions if necessary. Consultants agreed to return with updated schedules and cost detail; the town manager agreed to obtain and circulate contract documents for solicitor review.

If the schedule and budget remain fluid, the council said it expects to see clear, dated deliverables and to be notified immediately if projected dates or costs move again.