Committee Updates New Pilgrim High Cost to $153M

New Pilgrim High Cost Update

That amount is $8 million more than the Dimeo Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP). John Bates of Left Field Project Management cited seven “alternatives”, which were not included in the $145 million figure. Those included athletic fields and equipment, grandstands, scoreboards, press boxes, and perimeter fencing.

Bates said no GMP for Toll Gate would be provided until October.

“We need to be prepared to manage this process consistently,” said committee chairman Shaun Galligan, adding approving the $145 million was a “true risk” if the athletic fields were not included. Galligan made a motion to approve the $153.4 million.

“Last October, this committee was very transparent that the project was going overbudget,” Galligan continued. “Due to the hard work by Left Field and Dimeo (Construction), the prices coming in lower than budgeted on materials, that number has since come down.”

“I feel we need to put the best product forward,” said member Sean Wiggins.

“They are not luxuries,” member Leah Hazelwood said of the athletic facilities.

“They are part of the whole high school experience.”

Galligan said the city was pushing for a recreational bond, which would require a special election. The amount of money, if any, designated for the schools is undetermined, Galligan noted.

Bates said completion of the new Pilgrim and Toll Gate High Schools would be delayed. Pilgrim was slated to be completed in August 2027. That date has been pushed forward to November 2027.

Toll Gate was expected to be completed in August 2027. Bates said the new move-in date would be December 2027, during the winter vacation. 

“We do see some advantages to a January (2028) move-in approach,” Bates said. “Summer 2027 was always going to be a time crunch.”

The state’s Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM) was conducting a remediation of contaminated soils on the Pilgrim site. RIDEM was conducting a wetlands redesign for Toll Gate.

“These things were unforeseen,” member David Testa said about the construction delays.

In November 2022, voters approved a $350 million bond to pay for the high schools, $175 million for Pilgrim and $174.5 million for Toll Gate. Last October, it was revealed that the cost of construction for the schools had escalated to $387.8 million, $38.7 million more than was originally estimated.

Saccoccio and Associates have been working on the design for Toll Gate. Pilgrim is being designed by Saam Architecture.  

Deficit update for FY2025

In other news, Executive Director of Finance Craig Enos informed the committee the district is facing an approximate $4.7 million deficit for FY’2025.

“We believed we had a worst-case scenario nine million dollar deficit which I believe was probably far worse, around 12 to 13 million, due to poor accounting practices,” Galligan said. “A new finance team has come in, the administration before us buckled down, made some tough decisions. There were a lot of sacrifices made. To get us down to this $4.7 million is incredible.”

Galligan made it clear he wasn’t “celebrating” the deficit.

Author: Rob Borkowski

Rob has worked as reporter and editor for several publications, including The Kent County Daily Times and Coventry Courier, before working for Gatehouse in MA then moving home with Patch Media. Now he's publisher and editor of WarwickPost.com. Contact him at editor@warwickpost.com with tips, press releases, advertising inquiries, and concerns.