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Design‑development milestone, permitting and early bids outlined for new South Kingstown school project
Summary
Left Field consultants and the school building committee reported to the council that design development is nearly complete, early bid packages for long‑lead items are planned in June, and environmental testing found only a small localized petroleum trace not requiring a formal release to RIDEM.
Consultants for the South Kingstown school facilities project told the town council the project has advanced through design development and is entering an estimating reconciliation and initial bid phase ahead of a June 9 council review. Chris Spiegel, project executive with Left Field, briefed the council on schedule milestones, permitting steps and early‑bid strategy intended to protect an August 2027 target school opening.
Spiegel reported that the team has submitted a Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM) permit application and will pursue master planning approval at the town planning board. He said the environmental study found only one small, localized “slightly elevated level of petroleum” near an old auto shop, capped by asphalt; the consultant said the levels were below RIDEM’s thresholds for a reportable release. Spiegel called the results “the very best of news when you have environmental site assessments.”
Consultants also described the schedule for early release bid packages to purchase long‑lead items (foundations, steel, mechanical equipment and transformers) and a staged process for Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) review with the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE). The team said public engagement on the design development set is scheduled for June 5 and that the Council will be asked to act on the design development submission on June 9 before a subsequent RIDE submission.
Council members asked for clear publicity that the June 5 public session will be live streamed and for the consultants to provide downloadable flyers for council members to share on their channels. The town manager and school building committee chair said staff will post the live stream link and updated flyer on the town website.
Consultants and the school building committee emphasized frequent coordination with RIDE as a strategy to reduce review time and to keep the project on track. No final budget or GMP was approved at the meeting; the council was told cost reconciliation and subsequent approvals will follow the design development gate process.
