The approved final phase of construction consists of all remaining work necessary for the full middle school transformation project, including updating the fine arts area.
Proposals were first received March 29. District staff, architecture firm Perkins & Will and Core Construction reviewed all submissions, according to the May 9 agenda item.
This improvement project is part of RISD’s larger middle school transformation plan. This large-scale renovation project is aiming to use facility adjustments at junior high campuses over the course of several years to make room for sixth-graders, district officials said during a Nov. 15 meeting.
The goal is to have construction completed at all campuses by the 2030-31 school year, according to a district presentation on the 2021 bond earlier this year. Funds from the 2021 RISD bond will be used to pay for the Lake Highlands and Forest Meadow middle school projects.
The first phase of the project was approved during a March 7 board of trustees meeting for over $18 million. The approved construction for Phase 1 consisted of site work addition, including site grading, paving and installing site utilities. In addition, Phase 1 included early work for building steel, roofing and electrical infrastructure.
The district has budgeted over $60 million for the complete scope of the project, which is $17.5 million more than what was estimated during the March 7 meeting. Construction at Forest Meadow is scheduled to be completed by July 2023, Perkins & Will principal Vandana Nayak said during a Nov. 15 meeting.
