Newton firm lands city school contracts

Gloucester has agreed to hire a general contracting firm from Newton to build the new West Parish School and to carry out the renovations needed to convert the former St. Ann School into use as a temporary home for West Parish students while their new school is under construction.

W.T. Rich has been pegged to head up the St. Ann renovation, Mayor Carolyn Kirk said Monday, while subcontractors for the project have been lining up, from a corporation listing available construction bids in Florida to a cornucopia of companies on the North Shore.

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese closed down St. Ann School last June, citing declining enrollment.

City school officials, pursuing an estimated $39.7 million project to build a new West Parish on the same site as the 65-year-old building off Concord Street, announced in December that they would house West Parish students in kindergarten through fourth grade at St. Ann for the next two years, while West Parish fifth-graders are targeted to go to an isolated wing of OMaley Innovation Middle School during construction.

W.T. Rich will serve as the construction manager overseeing St. Ann renovations and West Parish, Kirk said. The companys cost estimate came in roughly $47,000 under budget.

I was really happy about that, Kirk said.

Kirk said the timeline is tight, but St. Ann should be ready to house Gloucester students by July 30, roughly a month before the start of the new school year.

Still to be determined is the cost the city will pay the archdiocese to lease St. Ann over the next two years, Kirk said. The mayor added that those negotiations are still grinding along, even though the city has committed to a lease agreement.

Kirk noted a long-term capital plan of elementary schools is due back soon, and if the city needs to temporarily house students again, St. Ann could once again come into play. School officials chose the St. Ann/OMaley temporary option over restoring the city-owned Fuller School and moving all West Parish students together. W.T. Richs duties as construction manager include overseeing the project and drumming up trade contractors.

According to the qualifications requested by the city, the renovation of St. Ann will include selective demolition and construction of interior walls, electrical work, plumbing and painting, as well as installing a stair lift for students with disabilities.

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Newton firm lands city school contracts