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MSBA review set for Longmeadow middle‑school project; town votes scheduled for Sept. 9 and Sept. 30
Summary
District officials presented an update June 17 on the Williams Street middle‑school schematic design, reporting a preliminary total project budget of about $151.6 million and an anticipated MSBA reimbursement of roughly $54.7 million.
Longmeadow School officials presented a schematic‑design update June 17 on the proposed consolidated middle school on the Williams Street campus and told the School Committee they expect the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) to consider the project on June 18.
District leaders said the preliminary total project budget at schematic design is about $151,594,000; MSBA reimbursement of eligible costs is estimated at roughly $54,700,000 (about 56% of eligible costs), leaving an estimated district share of about $96,800,000. The design team plans an artificial turf multipurpose field, expanded bus and drop‑off lanes, and off‑site traffic mitigation including a turning lane on Williams Street; the design also includes approximately $1.4 million of off‑site improvements to reduce congestion.
Superintendent Dr. O’Shea and the district’s design team said the campus plan separates bus lanes, drop‑off traffic and parking (unlike the existing Williams campus, where those uses overlap) and aims to reduce curbside congestion and improve pedestrian flow. Christian Whitsett, the project architect, presented interior renderings that show enlarged classrooms, stacked counseling and administrative wings for SEL support, and dedicated arts and STEAM spaces intended to expand elective programming.
Officials noted some project elements—an auditorium, for example—are not eligible for MSBA reimbursement but were included in the educational program because of their value to arts and music instruction. The district said it had two independent cost estimators and the estimates were consistent with each other.
The project must clear two local steps to proceed after MSBA approval: a Special Town Meeting on Sept. 9, 2025, and a ballot vote on Sept. 30, 2025. If approved by MSBA and voters, the district expects to proceed to full design and construction with a target opening in fall 2028.
No formal vote was required of the School Committee at the June 17 update; members asked follow‑up questions about road widening, operational efficiencies that could result from a single middle school and how staff assignments might be realigned. District officials said they would continue outreach to police, fire, planning, DPW and other town stakeholders in advance of the fall votes.
