Revere school project estimates come in on budget; committee to prepare MSBA submission

Revere City School Building Committee members were told Jan. 22, 2025, that two independent construction estimates for the district’s new school project came in narrowly under the approved construction budget, and the committee will prepare design-development paperwork for the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) with an expected submission by March 7.

The update, delivered by the design team, said both the designer’s and the construction manager’s estimates were very close — less than a percent apart — and overall the numbers for construction fell just under the MSBA-approved construction total. The project team also reviewed permitting milestones, contingency planning and security-system requirements; the committee approved three invoices as routine housekeeping.

Why this matters: MSBA reimbursement and permitting shape the project schedule and local funding exposure. Committee members and the city CFO said MSBA will reimburse roughly 48% of the total project; the city covers the remaining 52% without a tax override, according to remarks at the meeting. Permits and final bid results will determine whether the project remains on budget, whether contingency funds are used, and whether any value-management decisions become necessary.

Design and budget details

Brian, a design-team representative, told the committee the team completed two independent estimates and that both were “just a bit under budget.” He said the approved construction budget the committee is tracking against is $412,006,854 and that the broader project budget being reported to MSBA is approximately $493.2 million (the larger figure includes earlier feasibility funding and other soft costs). The designer’s estimate was roughly $344,000–$345,000 under that construction line, and the construction manager (a guaranteed-maximum-price contractor estimator) was about $8,291 under its estimate; the construction manager’s figure will be used for MSBA reporting.

The team said the current design-development estimates include a 6% design/estimating contingency and a 5.5% escalation allowance. The project also carries a 0.5% “tariff contingency” to address potential but uncertain tariff-related cost pressures; the team said unused contingency dollars would return to the city. The design team noted the estimates do not include optional lighting for two sports fields, which would cost about $1.2–$1.3 million if added later.

Permitting and schedule

The project team reported the environmental review process is underway. They said the initial MEPA steps are complete and that a draft environmental impact report (DEIR) was submitted on Feb. 16 for review; the team expects comments during the DEIR review and a final environmental impact report (FEIR) by July, depending on the pace of comments. The team said they are also pursuing a temporary MassDOT construction access permit to allow demolition of the dog‑track area to begin, and that MassDEP permitting and a notice-of-intent (NOI) with Revere Conservation for phase 1 are in place.

Next design steps include completing the 60% construction-document phase and placing the site-demolition scope out to bid. The committee was told the team will continue geotechnical and groundwater work (including additional monitoring wells) and intends to award a Licensed Site Professional (LSP) contract for precharacterization and on-site monitoring to support phase‑1 demolition; the team named Sanborn Head as the firm already working on that scope.

Security systems and building glazing

The design team said several security items — the access control system, the video-management system and certain cameras — will need proprietary specifications so they integrate with the city’s existing security and public‑safety systems. Committee members will be asked in a future meeting to vote to allow proprietary specification of those items.

On glazing, the project architect Dawn Goriello said the building will use ballistic glass at secured entry vestibules and hurricane‑rated glazing elsewhere. Dawn Goriello, the architect, clarified that ballistic glazing is planned at strategic locations to increase the time required for an intruder to penetrate an entry; the team described this as consistent with current security best practices. A public commenter pressed for “bulletproof” glazing across the first floor; the design team said ballistic glazing is provided at secure entries and hurricane-rated glass elsewhere, and that they will revisit additional glazing details in a future meeting.

Public comment and community questions

Donna Nugent, identified herself as a Revere resident and a 24‑year educator and asked for clearer community representation and documentation of outreach; she raised safety concerns about glazing and asked whether windows would be “bulletproof.” The design team invited further one‑on‑one discussion and said more detail on glazing and security will be provided at a later meeting. Donna also asked for clearer written documentation about community input and funding sources; the CFO and committee members said funding breakdowns are recorded in meeting materials and that the city is not pursuing a tax override for the project.

Votes at a glance

- Motion to approve meeting minutes (agenda item: meeting minutes) — approved (roll call). - Motion to approve Left Field invoice #47 for $118,112 — approved (roll call; all present committee members voted yes). - Motion to approve Perkins Eastman invoice #7 for $737,177.49 — approved (roll call; all present committee members voted yes). - Motion to approve Consigli preconstruction invoice #25 for $27,000 — approved (roll call; all present committee members voted yes).

What’s next

The committee will finalize and submit required MSBA design‑development reports by March 7, continue 60% construction‑document work, advance phase‑1 permitting and bid the demolition package. The team flagged that any material changes in permitting outcomes or bid pricing could require value‑engineering discussions or scope adjustments at future meetings.