Middletown school project nears 60% design; architects keep security system as open spec, Gilbane estimate reported

MIDDLETOWN, R.I. — The Middletown School Building Committee on Feb. 12 heard that the design team is approaching completion of the design phase and will submit the 60% construction documents for the middle-high school to the Rhode Island Department of Education later this week.

The architect said the project team will keep the campus security system as an open specification rather than naming a single proprietary manufacturer, and Gilbane’s final reconciled construction estimate was reported as $139,900,000. Justin, the owner’s representative, told the committee the consulting team will be prepared to submit the middle-high school 60% CD package to RIDE on Friday following committee approval.

The decision to leave the security specification open, the committee was told, is intended to give the town more flexibility to replace cameras and other devices in the future without requiring a single vendor for the whole system. "Our specifications will keep this as an open spec item," said Matt (architect, presenter).

Why it matters: the committee is preparing for bidding and for RIDE review. That process determines what RIDE will reimburse and how the town allocates bond funds; the owner's representative warned that if RIDE does not approve an amendment to the original memorandum of agreement, about $5.2 million could become unreimbursable.

Cost estimate and budget details

The architect reported that, after reconciling two draft estimates, Gilbane’s estimate of record is $139,900,000; the figure includes escalation to mid-construction and a design contingency. The consulting team said allowances are being carried for unknown site conditions, including soils, and that a construction contingency is included within the estimate.

Justin (owner’s representative) told the committee the overall program remains within the $190 million funding envelope the town has been tracking. He said the updated internal allocation is approximately $175,700,000 for the middle-high school and about $14,300,000 for the elementary school complex. "Worst case scenario, if RIDE rejects a memorandum of agreement amendment, about $5,200,000 of the $190,000,000 would not be reimbursable," Justin said.

Furniture, fixtures and equipment (FF&E) and technology are being tracked separately. The team said FF&E totals just over $5,000,000; the consultants noted roughly $2,200 per student for FF&E and about $3,000 per student for technology as planning metrics.

Bidding, alternates and contingency decisions

The architect and Gilbane explained how alternate bid items (add-alternates) will be prioritized once bids and guaranteed maximum price proposals are received. The committee will review discipline-by-discipline results (for example electrical, plumbing) and decide which alternates to add back if the selected contractor's prices exceed the budget. The committee was told that allowances and contingency funds provide flexibility until award and GMP negotiation.

Permitting, code and reviews

Permitting is underway: the stormwater construction permit remained under review at the time of the meeting with comments expected later in the week and a follow-up meeting scheduled. The Department of Environmental Management (DEM) final stormwater comments were also outstanding and are expected before the planning board submission. The project team reported a verbal approval at the Technical Review Committee (TRC) meeting to use the 2018 International Energy Conservation Code as the basis for design.

The TRC recommended the project move to the planning board with two standard conditions: final stormwater review by the town engineer and final review of on-site sewer connections. The planning board preliminary review is scheduled at the end of the month, and the team said it will attend to support the project.

Sewer and utilities

A CCTV inspection performed by In SituForm Technologies (formerly Inland Waters) found the site’s sewer runs to be mostly 8-inch concrete line with no visible blockages or sagging; a formal report with video and photos was issued and will be circulated to the committee. On utilities, town staff raised questions about an existing 50-foot-wide utility easement and the location of transformers; attendees said Narragansett Electric/Rhode Island Energy documentation and the location of an AT&T easement are unclear and need clarification. The committee was told the Sprint tower (near the school) is under negotiation for removal, while the AT&T tower by the athletic field is expected to remain.

Schedule and next steps

Following the committee vote at this meeting, the team plans to submit the middle-high school 60% CDs to RIDE on Friday and request a RIDE meeting within one to two weeks. The planning board preliminary review is scheduled at the end of the month; the committee set a special agenda time for its Feb. 26 meeting at 4:30 p.m. to accommodate planning board attendance.

Votes at a glance

- Motion to approve minutes from 01/29/2025: approved (ayes noted; motion carried).

- Motion to allow the consulting team to submit the MS Middle High School 60% CD package to RIDE: approved (ayes noted; motion carried).

- Motion to change the time of the next committee meeting on Feb. 26 to 4:30 p.m.: approved (ayes noted; motion carried).

What the committee did not decide

The project labor agreement proposal remains under attorney review and the proposers will meet with counsel; the committee was told the attorneys will review proposed fees and approach and that completing that review before bidding would be desirable but is not on a fixed hard deadline.

Looking ahead

The team will circulate the detailed estimate backup and the sewer CCTV report to committee members. The committee will review bid alternates and GMP materials as bids return; if RIDE requires changes to the memorandum of agreement, the committee and staff said they will pursue justification for the change to recover eligible reimbursement.