South Kingstown committee approves 60% construction documents as site work advances on new high school

The South Kingstown School Committee on Tuesday approved the district's 60% construction document submission to the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) for the new South Kingstown High School and heard an update that construction is underway and on track for a fall 2027 opening.

The vote to submit the 60% construction documents — a required RIDE milestone on the project’s review path — passed on a voice vote. Architects and the owner's project manager told the committee that initial enabling work and site preparation are complete, bids on early packages were received, and the project team is preparing the full building permit application and the guaranteed maximum price (GMP) due in November.

The submission is a formality in RIDE’s review process but a key step toward locking project scope and reimbursement eligibility. Philip Conte of Studio JAED, the architectural team on the project, described the schedule and design orientation for committee members. “The red vertical bar indicates the time that we are in now,” Conte said while showing the schedule graphic. Justin Jones, Left Field’s site representative and the daily field presence for the owner’s project manager, summarized recent site activity: “The biggest activity on-site over the last week … is the stripping of topsoil to prep for the necessary structural sub grading,” and he described erosion-control measures and a planned temporary power switchover for the existing building.

Why it matters: The committee must submit RIDE-required documents to preserve state reimbursement on approved work and to proceed toward a guaranteed maximum price that will define the community’s final construction cost commitment. At the meeting staff said the construction budget for the high school sits at about $116.2 million for the building work, with an overall project budget — including furniture, technology and a contingency for Curtis Corner and soft costs — shown at roughly $150 million. Early procurement and the initial bid package brought the project close to staff estimates; presenters reported an early estimate of about $115.5 million for construction, roughly $700,000 under that line item at this stage.

Key details: Justin Jones told the committee that control points and erosion controls are in place, roughly 6–7,000 cubic yards of material have been hauled off-site, and structural fill and grading have begun. He said excavation for utilities and footings was expected to begin the following week with concrete subcontractors mobilizing in about two weeks. Conte and Left Field staff said they expect the GMP to be finalized in November and described the GMP as the contract amount that will be “locked in” once accepted by the committee and town. Presenters and committee members repeatedly cautioned that schedules can be affected by unforeseen site conditions or weather, but both the design team and the site representative said they were tracking toward substantial completion in summer 2027 for a fall 2027 school opening.

Budget and procurement notes: The team explained separate contingencies: an owner’s contingency held outside the construction budget for change orders or unforeseen conditions, and a contractor contingency included inside the GMP contract (presenters said that contractor contingency is typically 3%). The project team also described a design-and-estimate allowance and an assumed 2.5% escalation factor in the 60% estimate. The committee was told that arriving at the GMP will require continued bidding of remaining trade packages and coordination with the construction manager at risk.

What happens next: Staff said the GMP will be presented in November for committee consideration. The committee approved the 60% construction document submission to RIDE at the meeting by voice vote; presenters will continue procurement, site work and submittals for steel and concrete as the project moves forward.

Votes and actions at the meeting included the motion to approve the 60% construction document submission to RIDE, which passed by voice vote.