GPS Capital Projects Update

A message from GPS

Below is our second edition of GPS Capital Project Updates newsletter!


As a reminder, the purpose of this newsletter is to provide accurate, timely and transparent updates of the ongoing major capital projects and maintenance projects underway across the District. You can always refer back to our GPS website for more information about each of these projects and for an archive of these newsletters.


The full Facilities Master Plan and Appendix are also available on our website.


Thank you!

Dr. Toni Jones

Superintendent, Greenwich Public Schools


Sean O'Keefe

Chief Operating Officer, Greenwich Public Schools

Major Capital Projects

Cardinal Stadium Construction

Greenwich High School's Cardinal Stadium

Greenwich High School is progressing with Phase 1A of their construction project for Cardinal Stadium.


Bleacher delivery and installation is expected the week of June 15th.


Phase 1A includes:

  • Site and Bleacher Demo (home side)
  • Construction of new home side bleachers that are ADA accessible with a press box, elevator, new bathrooms and a team room that will go below the bleachers.


Most recently, the Town's Tree Warden amended his decision on tree removal for the site, and the construction team is able to move forward with removing the necessary trees to allow proper spacing for ADA parking, and other considerations.


Additionally, Phase 1B funds were released by the BET.


Phase 1B includes:

  • An entry kiosk
  • Additional site work, including handicap parking
  • New lights on existing poles

For your awareness, Phase 2 includes:

  • Visitor side bleachers
  • New building for the visitor side
  • Site work, including a driveway and bridge
  • Relocating the tennis courts
Cardinal Stadium Construction
Cardinal Stadium construction is underway at GHS
GHS Bleacher Installation
GHS Cardinal Stadium Rendering
GHS Front Entrance

Greenwich High School Entrance & Security Vestibule

Prioritized by the Board of Education on June 14, 2018, the FY21‐22 capital funding approved the costs to complete the contract documents associated with the project as well as the estimated costs to complete the work as designed. The concept reflects a new main entrance including a security vestibule, site improvements related to the new entrance and infrastructure work to update the building elements and systems.


The First Selectman has appointed a Building Committee for this project and designated its members. Most recently, the Committee interviewed four potential architects for the project during their meeting on May 19th. Following interviews, the Committee selected Silver Petrucelli as their architect.


Currently the Committee is looking at starting the construction for this project in the Spring of 2022. The District is aware that it will take construction time during the school year and summer months.


GHS Vestibule Building Committee Members:
Steve Walko, Jake Allen, Ashley Cole, Maureen Bonanno, Stephanie Cowie, Michael Mason, Barbara Heins, Peter Bernstein, Louis Contadino, Megan Galleta, Christina Downey, Dennis Yeskey, and Craig Amundson; Ex-Officio: Steven Swidler

GHS Front Entrance
GHS Front Entrance Rendering
Aerial photograph of the GHS fields for use during the soil remediation project

Greenwich High School Fields Soil Remediation Project

Led by the Town of Greenwich Department of Public Works, Phase I cleanup activities for the Greenwich High School property (the Site) were performed over the 2020 summer recess. This work focused on the northernmost athletic fields and several small areas on the property to allow for renovation of Athletic Fields 6 and 7 (pictured below). This work expanded on cleanup done in prior years.


The Remedial Action Plan (RAP) for Phase II of the cleanup program at the Site has been submitted to the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEEP) and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Phase II cleanup activities will commence in Summer 2021, as the contract has been awarded to Charter Contracting Company, LLC. Work for Phase II includes Fields 3 and 4.


Phase II will be completed over several years, and as such, GHS will be closed to the general public for multiple summers.


More information can be found on the GPS website.

Aerial photograph of the GHS fields for use during the soil remediation project
GHS Fields 6 and 7
Hamilton Avenue School Fields

Hamilton Avenue School Fields

Tree planting by the Town of Greenwich Tree Conservancy was completed last Fall. Most recently, this Spring, field re-seeding and additional fertilizer was approved. Additionally, the field will be opened for the 5th Grade Graduation Ceremony, and then will be closed once again to allow for continued growth, and will be monitored throughout the Summer.

Hamilton Avenue School Fields
Julian Curtiss School Exterior front

Julian Curtiss School Construction

The Julian Curtiss School Feasibility Study has been completed and the Educational Specifications were approved by the Board of Education; however, the design funding for the 2021-2022 budget year was not approved. There was $200K allotted for review of Educational Specifications.


This project will be back on the Board of Education agenda in the Fall.

Julian Curtiss School Exterior front
Aerial photo of Old Greenwich School

Old Greenwich School Update

The Old Greenwich School Feasibility Study has been completed. Educational Specifications have not yet been accepted by the Board of Education.


This project will be back on the Board of Education agenda in the Fall.

Aerial photo of Old Greenwich School
Aerial Photo depicting WMS Fields and the various sites for soil remediation

Western Middle School Voluntary Soil Remediation Plans

In late Spring of 2020, GPS entered Western Middle School into a Voluntary Soil Remediation Program. The process to begin the remediation of the athletic fields at WMS continues to be an arduous task. GPS and Town of Greenwich's DPW are working closely with Langan Engineering, the districts environmental consultant, as well as the legal team from McCarter & English to obtain the proper approvals and recommendations from the State and Federal agencies having jurisdiction of the site. To date Langan has provided the agencies with reports depicting the hundreds of sampling locations on the site. They have also developed and submitted a handful of options in hope of obtaining positive direction on one of the options.


The most recent meeting with DEEP and EPA was on May 5, 2021, and at this meeting, they requested more sampling. In addition, we have been working on the plan for access on and off the property, as well as the layout of the fields. We continue to meet with DEEP and EPA regularly.


A project update will be on the Board of Education's Agenda for their June 17th meeting.


More information about this project is available on the GPS website.

Aerial Photo depicting WMS Fields and the various sites for soil remediation

Capital Maintenance Projects

Eastern Middle School Window Replacement

We are entering into the next phase of the EMS Window Replacement project, which has already been roughly 65% completed. Additional funding has been released to allow for early installation of windows prior to Summer 2021, and the work will continue throughout the summer months. Following this summer, we have one final phase of construction that will take place in Summer 2022.

North Mianus School Repairs Update

On Saturday, February 13th, a plaster ceiling fell on a sprinkler pipe causing a significant flood as well as the collapse of the hung ceiling.


In late May, both the BET and RTM met to discuss and vote on the funding for these repairs. We are grateful for their support in fully funding the project request. A contract has been awarded with a tentative start date of June 15th. All work associated with removal of the ceilings has been completed. The District is working through plans for an alternate site for displaced students and staff during construction. One of the most challenging aspects of the contract language has been resolved, and now both legal teams are working through the final details of the contract.

ADA Updates

Bringing our facilities up to date with the Americans with Disabilities Act has been a key priority for many years for our District.


Visit the webpage to our updated ADA rubric. More information for each school site will be available as our school sites are reviewed internally. Please note that these reports are for our internal use only and do not represent a formal ADA review of our buildings.


In addition, please note the following projects that are underway this current year:

  • Cos Cob School: Playground replacement was approved last budget cycle at $394,000. This project includes changing the surface from wood chips to accessible rubberized surface. Last summer we completed one age-appropriate section, and this summer the remaining areas will be completed.
  • International School at Dundee: ADA compliance was approved at $74,000. This project was limited to ADA access to a new ADA compliant Playground.
  • North Mianus School: ADA compliance was approved at $111,000. This project will likely take place during the Summer of 2022, given the current construction project at the site. The work is limited to upgraded kindergarten bathrooms.
  • Riverside School: ADA compliance was approved at $37,000. This project has not started, but will include the review of building access.

Western Middle School ADA Study

During the budget process last year, there was $446,000 approved by the BET and RTM for ADA compliance at WMS for this 2020-2021 year. As a result, a Feasibility Study was completed earlier this Fall via a RFP process with a member of the First Selectman’s Disability Committee assisting in selection of the architect/engineering firm, Silver Petrucelli & Associates. Work related to design and prioritization of projects within the building is currently underway.


Also approved in last year's budget cycle for WMS, was $178,000 for vertical transportation. The work that is currently being designed and planned for the summer of 2021, includes replacing an existing lift, and the addition of a stair lift to make the lower level accessible. (Please refer back to the budget book from last Spring, FY21, Pages 93, 94 for more information.)

Strong Project Management and Oversight

Beginning in 2019, the District created a monthly report, which goes to the Board of Education, with the status of open and closed projects. Some projects, such as the EMS Window Replacement Project, run for multiple years because the work is limited to the summer months. However, you would not want three different contractors completing this work; therefore, it is submitted as a single project for funding.


A snapshot of the open and closed project status is provided below and a more detailed report is available as part of the monthly Board of Education Business Meetings.


As a reminder, FY21 funds are usually used for projects occurring over the summer months while school is not in session, hence the larger available budget.

Closed out Projects as of June 4, 2021

Status on Project Reimbursements

The latest update for status on State reimbursement for our capital projects includes:

  • MISA: The paperwork was submitted (Form ED049F) to the State in June 2020; since then $2,656,516 was received in August 2020; and the remainder (potential of approx $2.2M) expected upon completion of audit.

  • Hamilton Ave: Paperwork was submitted (Form ED049F) to the State in June 2020 (potential final payment of $1,864,024 subject to completion of audit)

  • Glenville School: GPS submitted supporting documents to CSG (Jan 2021) for submission of ED049F to the State. still waiting.....

  • New Lebanon School: The Building Committee is still finalizing a number of items/invoices prior to submission of Form ED049F which will then trigger final payments (approximately $5.7M) including retainage. To date, $17,702,446 has been reimbursed.