Dr. Albert B. Consentino Project

Frequently Asked Questions and Answers

Why do we need to upgrade or replace the Consentino School?

A thorough architectural and engineering assessment was performed as part of this process.  It found that the existing building’s infrastructure (mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection, technology, etc.) has exceeded its useful life making it difficult to maintain and to extend the use of the building with a major renovation.  The assessment also identified a number of accessibility deficiencies that make it difficult for occupants with physical or other disabilities. To do what?   Similarly, the functionality of some spaces like Science rooms, special education spaces, and the cafeteria were not designed to accommodate current or future educational practices.  Science rooms, for example, have either been converted to general classrooms or lack the sinks, storage, ventilation, safety equipment, and square footage to effectively deliver the next generation science curriculum.  A complete renovation, renovation / addition, or replacement of the existing building with all new construction would resolve all these facility and educational issues.  Finally, a renovation/addition to the existing building or a complete replacement of the existing building would offer an opportunity to expand the enrollment capacity of the Consentino Middle School to include grade 5 and allow for a more equitable experience for all 5th graders in the neighborhood (neighborhood or district?) and to reduce the need to rent facilities for some Tilton Upper students.

Where will the new school or additions to the existing school be built?

Addition and renovations options as well as new building options have been explored for three different student enrollments.  The options that included additions to the building have placed these additions on portions of the existing building footprint with expansions to the east into the existing playfields.  Options for new construction have placed the new building to the east of the existing building occupying most if not all the upper playfield.  This green space is replaced once the existing building is demolished.   No other sites were considered. All options assume that students will remain on-site during construction.

Who will choose the final design option?

The process to select the final design option has been designed to gather input from a wide variety of participants including the public, faculty and staff, students, District officials, School Committee members, and City Counselors.  All of that input will be considered by the members of the School Building Committee who have the responsibility and authority to identify the one option to move forward into schematic design. 

When will the new or renovated school be complete?

Based on the current schedule the project a new or renovated school would be available for occupancy in the fall of 2025.  Following the completion of the Preferred Schematic Report the Design Team will move into the Schematic Design phase which is scheduled to be completed in the fall of 2022.  Once the funding for the project has been established by the City and the MSBA the project design will move forward through Design Development and Construction Documents.  Construction should begin in the fall of 2023 and take approximately two years to complete.

How much will the project cost?

The cost of the project varies for each alternative still under consideration.  The cost estimates below are based on the all the information currently available including:  updated design illustrations, current market conditions and escalation, construction duration, and District and City directives related to systems, sustainability, and materials selections.  These estimates are subject to change with the volatility of the current market.  However, an additional cost estimate will be prepared during the Schematic Design phase.

OPTION

 

ESTIMATED TOTAL PROJECT COST DESCRIPTION
RO.715-A $64.5 million Repair only; no changes to interior or exterior walls
R.715-A.1 $91.0 million Renovation only; no changes to exterior walls
N.715-A.1 $127.5 million New construction for 715 students
AR.985-C.1 $177.1 million Addition-Renovation for 985 students
N.985-A.1 $153.1 million New construction for 985 students, 4-story “compact” option
N.985-A.2 $156.0 million New construction for 985 students, 4-story “courtyards” option
N.985-A.3 $156.9 million New construction for 985 students, 3-story option
AR.1080-C.1 $178.8 million Addition-Renovation for 1,080 students
N.1080-A.1 $154.5 million New construction for 1,080 students, 4-story “compact” option
N.1080-A.2 $157.4 million New construction for 1,080 students, 4-story “courtyards” option
N.1080-A.3 $158.3 million New construction for 1,080 students, 3-story option

How many students will the new or renovated school serve? 

Haverhill Public Schools and the MSBA have identified and agreed to study three enrollments:

  • 715 Students (5th – 8th)
  • 985 Students (5th – 8th) Tilton Upper Remains in Service
  • 1080 Students (5th – 8th) w/o Tilton Upper in Service

A renovated Consentino Middle School could only accommodate the 715 student enrollment and would not be large enough to accommodate the upper two enrollments without an addition.

How does the public provide feedback?

The City, School District, and the Design Team will continue to engage the public in several ways: in open forums throughout the Schematic Design phase, through the project website [insert hyperlink here], and through a series of electronic surveys [insert hyperlink here].

What will be the impact to property taxes for the average homeowner?

This is a complex calculation that includes the total project cost, financing terms, eligible versus ineligible costs, and whether or not a debt exclusion is necessary.  The City and the District will have a better estimate for the tax impact to the average homeowner during the Schematic Design phase, but is preparing a preliminary calculation to include in the upcoming PSR submission.

If a new building is located on the existing fields, will that have an impact on the Silver Hill play areas?

Some of the new construction alternatives impact the existing little league baseball field where Silver Hill students have recess in good weather.  Several options to relocate and improve the Silver Hill lay areas are being explored.

How will traffic and parking issues be improved?

Site designs for all alternatives attempt to improve traffic and parking conditions by:

  • Creating dedicated and expanded parking for Consentino Middle School faculty and staff, eliminating the need to share the southern lot out front of Silver Hill Elementary School.
  • Separating Consentino buses, parent vehicles, and specialized transportation vehicles from those serving Silver Hill.
  • Expanding the queue length for Consentino parent vehicles in an effort to minimize or eliminate parent vehicles backing up onto Washington Street.

Some of the alternatives appear to be four stories tall.  How will a four-story building impact abutting homeowners?

The design team is currently studying the visual impact to abutters and exploring design strategies to create an appropriate vegetated buffer and/or create an attractive view from neighboring homes.

Some of the options appear to have offices and classrooms with no windows.  What will the experience of students and adults in those spaces really be like?  Is there any opportunity to provide them with access to daylight and views?

In the renovation only alternative, the two World Language classrooms are located upstairs over the girls’ locker room.  The eastern classroom would have direct access to daylight and views by cutting new window openings in the exterior wall.  The western classroom would likely have indirect access to daylight and views by cutting new openings in the exterior walls and by providing interior windows to the connecting corridor.

In both the N.985-A.1 and N.1080-A.1 alternatives, there are two EL classrooms and at least one art room and one World Language classroom that are completely interior to the building.  The EL classrooms would likely not have any access to natural daylight or views in the current location.  There may be an opportunity in future design phases to relocate them to improve this condition.  The Art Room and the World Language classroom would have borrowed daylight and extended interior views from the adjacent cafeteria space that would function something like a large shopping center atrium.

Will Consentino Middle School lose the use of their Gym and Cafeteria during renovation of those spaces in the renovation / addition options?

Yes.  Depending on the final construction sequence, its likely that the school will lose the use of all the spaces, including the gym and cafeteria, for a period of time while the renovation occurs.

Does the project include an auditorium?

No.  The MSBA has identified middle school auditoriums as an ineligible expense.  However, some of the all-new construction alternatives strategically position the cafeteria, a multi-purpose music space, and the gymnasium to maximize the use of these spaces as performance venues.

Will the project be energy efficient?

Yes.  The current building codes require a certain level of energy efficiency that greatly exceeds that of the existing building.  In addition to that, the City and the District have identified an LEED certification plus an additional 20% beyond the energy code in order to eligible for two additional percentage points from the MSBA.  The details of how to achieve this goal are still under discussion and include conversations about items like solar panels.

Will the project have solar panels on its roof?

Cost estimates for this phase of the project include the cost to make the roof ready for solar panels, which is a code requirement, but not for the solar panels, themselves.  There has been some interest expressed by City Officials and some members of the School Building Committee to continue to explore solar panels in the upcoming design phases.