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Consultant recommends reducing Milford's eight elementary schools to six; Meadowside and Capen flagged as closure candidates
Summary
Perkins Eastman told the Milford School District Board of Education that a shift from eight to six elementary schools is feasible and would likely involve closing Meadowside and Capen; the consultant laid out two options (renovate-in-place or build new), each with trade-offs in cost, disruption and site constraints.
Perkins Eastman, the district's architecture and planning consultant, presented options at a public workshop recommending the Milford School District move from eight elementary schools to six, identifying Meadowside and Capen as the two schools most likely to close under preliminary feasibility work.
"We're Perkins Eastman. We're an architecture and planning firm," a firm representative said during the presentation, outlining that the firm first sought a site for a single comprehensive high school but found no viable option and then analyzed middle- and elementary-school configurations. The firm reported that many elementary buildings have Facility Condition Index (FCI) values projected above 40% in five to 10 years, a threshold often used to weigh replacement versus further investment.
Dr. Tye, a district school leader, told attendees the work is intended to minimize disruption to students: "Our focus is to ensure the greatest level of stability for our young people so that if and when we have to move students from one school to another, we do it with as little disruption as possible and we only do it once." He emphasized that the oldest elementary buildings date to the 1950s and the youngest to 1967 and that many lack dedicated spaces for music, gym, specialized instruction and mental-health services.
Perkins Eastman presented two study paths. Study one would renovate existing schools with selective demolition and additions to bring buildings up to current standards (mechanical, accessibility, lighting) and extend useful life roughly 20 years; consultants warned this approach requires working around occupied schools, which can lengthen project timelines and increase disruption. Study two would construct purpose-built new schools on suitable sites; new builds are more efficient, easier to design to current program needs and can reduce long-term operating costs, but have higher upfront construction expenses.
On site-specific feasibility, the firm said Meadow(s)ide on the west side is a relatively small site that would be difficult to expand, while Capen on the east side faces wetlands and FEMA flood-plain constraints. Consultants flagged Kennedy and Live Oaks as examples of sites that might accommodate new construction while a school remains operational, enabling phased work and use of vacated buildings as swing space.
Consultants gave high-level cost comparisons (renovation versus new construction) but emphasized these are preliminary ballpark estimates and that detailed site-level studies are required. The firm also said sequencing, districting and redistricting will be part of future work and are not decided tonight.
Next steps: Perkins Eastman will present a draft master plan to the board on April 13, hold a public interactive workshop on April 20 (tentatively at Law) and the board expects to consider a final master plan around April 27. Organizers said written feedback from tonight's stations will be archived and posted on the district's facilities planning website.
No formal vote or binding action on school closures was taken at the workshop.
