East Hampton BOE Considers $37M High School Renovation

The East Hampton Board of Education held a special meeting Monday night to discuss a proposed $37 million overhaul of the town’s high school that would help usher modern technology into its classrooms.

Representatives from Kaestle Boos Associates, an architectural firm that specializes in the design of schools and other municipal buildings, and O & G Industries, a construction company based in Torrington, shared their preliminary design, cost estimates and timeline for the school’s renovation.

“This is a good candidate to renovate,” architect Brian Solywoda of Kaestle Boos said of the high school, which was built in the mid ’60s.

Nearly 600 students are enrolled at East Hampton High School. Most of the original building remains untouched since its construction more than 40 years ago. Of repairs done on the building since, the largest was a roof replacement performed by O & G in 1994.

The proposed project includes demolishing (and later recycling) two portions of the school, adding two more components - a two-story science center and an athletics building - and renovating the remainder.

Renovations would range from “light” fix-ups, like general classroom improvements, to “medium-level" work, such as new ceilings, to “heavy” tasks, such as plumbing and underground work.

The new additions – a total of about 25,000 square feet – are slated to cost nearly $6 million and would take about eight months to construct. The two buildings would not be attached directly to the main structure, and would need separate heat, water and electrical systems.

One of the meeting’s most-discussed topics, the new science wing, was touted as helping bring the school into step with modern technology, but one school board member questioned the high cost during these tight economic times.

“It’s a lot of money to fix up this building,” Donald Coolican said.

Board of Education chairman Michael Vasquenza  quickly responded, “I don’t think anyone’s going to debate that,” to a round of laughter.

Coolican and others asked if the science labs couldn’t benefit from some updates, rather than a complete overhaul, to cut costs.

The answer is no, Superintendent of Schools Judith A. Golden said.

“We have exposed pipes; we have lead,” Golden said, as murmurs of possible asbestos contamination could be heard from fellow board members.

Space is also an issue, Golden continued.

“We don’t have enough [science] rooms,” she said. “We need two to three more rooms for all the kids.”

From a financial point of view, Vasquenza agreed with the concept of starting fresh rather than simply remodeling, suggesting the town would receive greater compensation for the project.

“Renovate as new seems to be a happier way to go with the state,” he said.

The project stands to receive as much as $17 million in reimbursement from the state, according to town officials, cutting East Hampton’s total cost down to approximately $20 million.

Golden pointed out that this reimbursement will be irrelevant when it comes time for residents to vote on the proposal.

“When the referendum is set, it will be for the total [$37 million] cost of the project,” she said.

Solywoda sought to convince board members that the high price tag would be worth it in the long run.

“We’re going to bring this building up to another 20- to 50-year lifespan,” the architect said.

Students and faculty would not just be surrounded by new walls, windows, ceilings and other “light” renovations. They would also share the space with brand new furniture.

This is the opportunity to have better desk technology at a mid-range cost, said Kenneth Biega, assistant vice president of O & G.  

“The way furniture is being used in schools is changing,” Biega said.

One thing that would not change, however, are the school’s computers. Technology costs, including things like wiring, are included in the estimated proposals. And while many new technological tools, like SMART boards, are eligible for state reimbursement, school officials said, desktop computers are not.

SMART boards, also known as Promethean boards, are interactive whiteboards, which have replaced the classic dusty chalkboard in many of today’s classrooms.

School board members, including Glenn Gemma, expressed hope that teachers would be able to give their input into the acquisition of such new elements. Golden assured that they would get a say.

If the proposal successfully passes through the rigorous process of making it to referendum and getting passed, construction could begin in 2013, school officials said, and the renovation would be complete in September 2016.