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Lowell City school construction moves into phase 4; May budget shows $418 million project total
Summary
At a June 25 School Building Committee meeting, SUFFK and staff reported demolition is substantially complete and phase 4 work is underway, with finish work starting in Coburn Hall. The May budget report listed a $418 million project budget and $221 million in MSBA reimbursements to date.
The Lowell City School Building Committee heard a construction and budget update on June 25 as the high school project advances into phase 4.
During a presentation, a SUFFK representative said demolition is “substantially complete” and described top-down construction progressing from the basement to upper floors, with window installation in Coburn Hall largely finished. The presenter said phase 4 is expected to carry through to “late spring, early summer of 2027.”
The presentation included workforce metrics and site photos. The SUFFK representative reported the project’s minority workforce at 27.6 percent, noting that exceeds the project goal of just over 15 percent, and said the female workforce is at 5.4 percent, below the 6.9 percent target.
Kevin Kaine delivered the May budget summary, reporting a total project budget of $418 million and $386 million encumbered to date. Kaine said Massachusetts School Building Authority reimbursements total $221 million so far and that change orders processed through June (change order number 47) total about $27 million, with roughly $7.4 million in pending change requests.
Committee members asked about remaining risks. Mark Burn asked whether the team anticipates additional unforeseen conditions; project representatives said most major demolition-related surprises are behind the team but declined to guarantee there will be no future issues.
Members also discussed operational impacts during summer work. Staff and SUFFK said occupied areas already turned over and that the lower-level kitchen and servery areas will be restricted this summer while mechanical, electrical and plumbing work feeds upward from the basement. A kitchen servery overflow earlier this year was described as caused by valve sequencing; staff said the programming issue has been corrected and manufacturers will inspect equipment this summer.
The committee raised several site concerns: planter leaks (under review by landscape design and trade partners), and a drained canal adjacent to the site. Staff said the canal has been kept low to allow perimeter foundation drainage work and that they expect to open the gates and return water by the end of August after drainage tests and slab work are completed; staff said they have been coordinating with the National Park Service on the plan.
SUFFK and project staff outlined finish work in Coburn Hall, courtyard fit-out, exterior washdown and the removal of temporary spider lifts. Material deliveries include a stone shipment scheduled to leave Newark on Aug. 3 and arrive shortly thereafter; stainless-steel railings are in fabrication. The project team said they are coordinating exterior work with summer events and a local music series.
The committee set the next School Building Committee meeting for July 30, 2026, at 6 p.m. in the mayor's reception room. A motion to adjourn closed the June 25 meeting.
