The annual cost to maintain West Elementary averages $89,000—far greater than any other school in the district and growing over time as repairs increase. Considering this situation, the MSBA and the Building Committee evaluated 3 different options for West Elementary:
- a renovation JUST to bring the current structure up to code was estimated at $50M
- a complete renovation AND addition to the current structure was estimated at $132-164M
- construction of a completely new school is currently estimated at $152M
The base repair and code upgrade alternative with no modification of existing spaces or their function does not address the current undersized spaces, nor does it meet the educational program. And, considering the costs of each possible solution and the condition of the current structure and its future enrollment needs, the decision was made to pursue a new school. With construction costs rising at a rate of 5% every year and municipal borrowing rates for infrastructure projects at historic lows, Andover cannot afford to delay the start of this project.
Many residents’ homes are their single largest asset. Investing in our schools will enhance Andover’s reputation for academic excellence and positively impact our property values. This will also attract new businesses to our community.
Want to get involved and show your support?
yestowesp.org 