Architects present ~90,000-sq-ft school program, urge use of 519-student projection to maximize state reimbursement

Tecton Architects told the Willington Board of Education and the Willington School Building Committee on March 26 that an updated consolidated school program should be about 89,700–90,000 square feet and that using a 519-student enrollment projection will expand the town’s allowable area and raise potential state reimbursement.

The recommendation came during a presentation by Jeff Wazinski, principal at Tecton Architects, and colleagues, who summarized on‑site measurements and program adjustments. "So let's call it 90,000," Wazinski said as he described the proposed gross-square-footage baseline and its use for budgeting.

Why it matters: Connecticut’s school reimbursement formula ties allowable area to the highest enrollment in an eight‑year window; a larger allowable area can materially increase the share of construction costs the state will cover. Tecton flagged a roughly 10,400‑square‑foot delta between the proposed program and the state’s basic allowable area, which the consultants said the town will have to fund locally unless a space waiver or statutory adjustment applies.

The architects presented measured baselines: Center Elementary at about 32,797 sq ft and Hall Memorial at about 67,597 sq ft, producing a combined existing footprint near 100,000 sq ft. Their programmatic tally (sum of required rooms and spaces) was 71,833 sq ft net; adding circulation, wall thickness and other grossing factors resulted in an 89,791 sq ft gross program figure the team said they would use for budget planning.

Consultants explained the reimbursement trade-offs, including a recent narrowing of the gap between renovation and new-build reimbursement rates and a possible extra 15% early‑childhood add for qualifying spaces. They cautioned the rates and formulas can change annually and recommended the town plan for both renovation and new-build scenarios to compare costs and reimbursements.

On classroom planning, the design team shifted from a prior two‑classrooms‑per‑grade model to three classrooms per grade after factoring the 519 enrollment. Antonia Siavarella, an architectural designer, said the change was driven by updated projections and program needs: "We did increase those classrooms from 725 square feet to 825" for grades 4–8 and increased pre-K/k sizes to about 1,100 square feet to accommodate young-child instructional models; she added, "This is not a sardine model." The team said these sizes remain near state benchmarks.

Design and logistics: Tecton reported significant existing‑condition issues — no fire protection systems in either building, hazardous materials and many level changes (they counted up to 16 different floor levels at Hall Memorial) — which affect phasing and cost. They recommended attention to service areas, a ramp/loading dock to reduce delivery inefficiencies, sufficient workshop space for maintenance, and inclusion of generator requirements in the ed spec (final sizing to come in later phases).

Next steps: The consultants will prepare two budget scenarios (renovation/alteration of Hall Memorial and a new‑build option), compute reimbursement estimates and provide low–high cost ranges for comparison. Staff asked the committee to review and expected to present an ED‑spec approval recommendation to the Board of Education at its regular April meeting. The committee did not approve a final ED spec at this session.

What was not decided: The committee discussed partial retention of Hall Memorial versus full replacement and acknowledged significant trade‑offs (site availability, field space, cost). Any demolition or partial retention plan will require public engagement and subsequent approvals.

The meeting closed with the design team capturing tonight’s feedback and the project team committed to returning with budgets and clarified reimbursement calculations, including follow‑up with the state on the interpretation of any early‑childhood 15% add.