Tariffs, rising utility costs could impact GMS building budget

Reports of rising tariffs and utility costs are beginning to impact the cost of the new Galvin Middle School building project as planners and town officials are creating what School Superintendent Derek Folan is calling “healthy contingencies” into the budget, mindful of the expected rising costs of building materials.

Folan, along with planners from Ai3 Architects, Leftfield project management and Consigli Construction, continue to meet daily to review steel and construction costs as their first estimating reports are due to the Mass. School Building Authority (MSBA) in May. Sixty percent of the estimating reports are due to the MSBA by Halloween. Full construction is set to begin in the summer of 2026 with occupancy slated for the opening of school in the fall of 2028.

Planners are also meeting with Eversource and MassSave to get maximum incentive savings for what is now proposed as an all-electric building. However, GMS Building Committee member Bob McCarthy proposed that planners also look into two types of boiler operations (gas and electric) to avoid paying the highest electric costs.

Meanwhile, planners continue to meet with GMS staff to plan the interior of each department. Meetings have also been held and will continue to be held with representatives of safety and security, athletics, performing arts, and cable access.

At the committee’s next meeting on April 16, a virtual representation of each of the three floors will be shared so that the public and the committee will get a clearer picture of what the interior design will look like. Currently, the team has a detailed floor-by-floor design of the components and locations of all classrooms, open spaces and administrative offices.

Folan and GMS Principal Jon Mulhern both said they’ve received optimistic and productive reports from their staff following their meetings with the architects and construction team.

The architects and construction team have also come up with proposed materials for both the interior and exterior of the building. At the March 19 School Building Committee meeting …

See this week’s Citizen to continue reading and for more highlights from the March 19 School Building Committee meeting. Click here to order your subscription today.

Short URL: https://www.thecantoncitizen.com/?p=131269

Posted by Mike Berger on Mar 27 2025. Filed under Top Stories. Both comments and pings are currently closed.