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Design development complete; council told July approvals needed to start early site work for new high school
Summary
Architect and construction team said design development is at RIDE review and enabling/early site packages are out to bid; council was asked to target the July meeting for temporary roadway and early site work approvals to allow disruptive site work before the 2025 school year.
Left Field principal Kate Turner and construction manager Gilbane briefed the council on the school building committee’s schedule and early‑work bidding on June 23.
Turner said the project remains at the tail end of design development and the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) is still reviewing submitted plans. The project team has begun a competitive bidding period for enabling and early site work packages — items the team characterized as structural sitework, civil work and long‑lead items such as temporary roadway, water‑line relocation and temporary electric service.
Turner told the council the team has targeted July 14 for the council to receive bid results for the temporary roadway and other early site packages and to request formal authorization so crews can mobilize before the school year begins. Turner said those early packages are time‑critical because they include temporary utility reroutes, fencing, and other disruptions that the team prefers to complete before students return to campus.
Council members asked whether RIDE would sign off before the July 14 action; Turner said the project team is pursuing an expedited review but is proceeding on a parallel path so permitting and procurement do not stall the schedule. Turner also said the team has been coordinating site power work with Rhode Island Energy and that structural steel pricing and other market signals appear manageable so far.
On environmental testing, Turner said additional borings, ground‑penetrating radar and a small set of exploratory drills were scheduled in the coming days; she said that additional testing would be coordinated to avoid school traffic and disruption.
No formal council action on the school bid approvals was taken at the June 23 meeting; Turner said the team planned to return with bid results at the next meeting to seek the council’s formal authorization.
