FAQ’s

What is the impact of a building project on education? In this short video, you’ll hear some of our Lincoln School faculty talk about the current building. 

How do hubs and common areas change teaching and learning? Hanscom Middle School faculty talk about the impact of the new (2016) building (note: break-out spaces = hubs in this video). Click here to see photos of the building in action.  And for insight into how the HMS administrators and faculty prepared for their move into the new building, watch the May 26, 2016 School Committee meeting (fast forward to the 1 hour 43 minute mark).

Are we building an all-new school? No! All of the concepts renovate the Auditorium and the Reed Gym. Five (5) of the 6 concepts (including the “C” or “Compact” concept) renovate the Auditorium, Reed Gym, and the Library link. Only the Full Program Concept (which has not been actively developed due to cost) considers demolition of the Library link.

What do the cost estimates include? The cost estimates for the 6 Lincoln School concepts are for the total project cost of the school.  The estimates include: materials, labor, architectural design work, engineering, construction management, site work, permits and fees, escalation costs (to account for the fact that the project wouldn’t break ground until 2020) and FF&E (furniture, fittings, and equipment).  At this conceptual phase of the project, there are many contingencies built into the estimates.  After we choose a concept at the June 9th meeting, the project will go into the “schematic design” phase.  At the end of that phase, the design work will be 20% complete, major systems and materials will be chosen, and we will have more detailed cost estimates that will allow us to bond the project (fall 2018). To read more about project phases, visit the FAQ home page.

How do our cost estimates compare to other school projects in Massachusetts? The Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) keeps track of the projects it funds. Click here to see an interactive graph that compares the costs of projects when they are in schematic design to the actual construction contract bids.  Please note, this is a comparison of “construction costs” NOT “total project costs.” When looking at the graph, note that the estimated construction costs for the 6 Lincoln School project concepts range from $283/SF to $497/SF. Other MSBA data on recent school projects can be found here.

How can I learn more? There will be a 2-part multi-board meeting on Monday, April 30th in Hartwell Pod B.

• From 6:00 -7:30pm the focus will be on an update of the Campus Projects Briefing Document and a planning discussion for June 9th.  
• From 7:30 – 9:00pm the conversation will focus on understanding both short-term costs and long-term value of the project.

What are the plans for the site? The design team will be talking about roadways, bus and car traffic patterns, bike paths, sidewalks, and parking at this week’s SBC meeting. Please join us on Wednesday, April 25th at 7:00pm in the Hartwell multipurpose room.