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Committee approves demolition and awards packages as Pilgrim and Tollgate projects move forward
Summary
Project staff told the committee they will award initial Tollgate packages, begin drum‑rock demolition after Memorial Day, and set a $2 million worst‑case allowance for Pilgrim soil remediation; the committee approved multiple contract awards and the demolition recommendation, with most bids coming in below budget.
Project staff briefed the Warwick School Committee on May 13 that the Pilgrim and Tollgate high‑school projects are entering active construction and procurement phases. Mr. Spiegel (project lead) told the committee, “We will be awarding our first packages for the Tollgate School project, including the drum rock demolition which will allow us to get started on that work very, very quickly, right after Memorial Day.” The committee approved the drum‑rock demolition recommendation and related site work motions (votes recorded as carried 4‑0).
Staff reported cost‑management details: a $2,000,000 worst‑case allowance was set aside for potential contaminated soils at Pilgrim to remove and replace two feet of topsoil across the site if necessary; project staff said that amount is conservative and unused funds would return to contingency. Committee materials and presenters said more than $15,000,000 remains in the owner’s contingency and that eight of nine awarded packages had arrived under budget, producing roughly $3,500,000 in savings to date. Officials said they are trying to drive the overall project cost toward the $350,000,000 target previously discussed.
Design consultant John Bates and Mr. Guglielmo presented RIDE‑requested adjustments to Tollgate’s design: reduced north parking (wetlands constraints), revised parent pick‑up and bus circulation, added CTC connections, new secure vestibules, dispersed special‑education spaces, added light wells/skylights for interior rooms and a greenhouse/learning courtyard. Committee members asked for a construction dashboard and logistics plans; presenters said schedules and logistics will be posted and they will work with the web developer to provide a minimal dashboard showing schedule and logistics.
Committee members raised logistics concerns for residents near the Pilgrim Parkway area and requested that traffic and truck routing be addressed in subcontractor bid packages; presenters said traffic patterns will be dictated to subcontractors and enforced.
Votes and procurement: the committee approved multiple contract awards and change orders (construction testing agent; general conditions release for Tollgate; Dimio demolition and site work; Dimio Dimeo site recommendation; and several grant‑funded purchases and vendor contracts to be forwarded to the district budget commission for authorization). Project staff emphasized that independent materials testing and inspection agents are contracted by the owner to verify concrete, steel and other work for code compliance.
What’s next: staff projected a final accessibility report from the governor’s commission on disability after additional site walks; they targeted June 9–10 for Pilgrim and Tollgate groundbreakings and said they will present logistics and updated budgets at the next special meeting.
Provenance: topicintro SEG 1278, topfinish SEG 2121.
