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Lowell High renovation delayed after discovery of collapsed basement slab; city to report cost impact in June
Summary
Contractors found voids under the 1922 building basement slab that will require removal and replacement of about 32,000 square feet of slab and underlying soil. The discovery pushes completion of the 1922 work and later phases and will exceed the current $381 million project budget; the city expects a cost estimate in June and a revised schedule.
Contractors reported on unforeseen structural conditions in the 1922 building basement at Lowell High School that will delay completion and add substantial cost to the ongoing renovation.
The issue was disclosed during a council briefing by project representatives. “When we were cutting the slab … the slab was dropping approximately 2 to 3 inches,” the project representative told the council, saying the work revealed a gap under the floor that engineers attribute to soil settlement. The affected area is approximately 32,000 square feet and will require removal of slab and about 2 feet of soil, structural fill replacement, and a new reinforced slab in multiple locations.
The discovery will delay turnover of the 1922 portion of Phase 3 beyond the planned August handover and push Phase 4 work into 2026–27. Project staff said completion of the affected building…
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