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The Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School (LSRHS) roof is nearing the end of its shelf life, but the previously-approved re-coating project has been shelved.
Following a January 27 report from Jack Ryan, a member of the Building Subcommittee, the full LSRHS school committee agreed to take a new approach.
Rather than restoring the existing roof using a method that the subcommittee deemed to be unproven with the advice of a highly-regarded consultant, the district will evaluate options to prolong the life of the current roof until it is eligible for Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) reimbursement. That won’t take too long, as the roof will reach the MSBA-eligible age within a couple years.
Ryan told the committee that it was reasonable to expect 90% or more of the reimbursement rate (roughly 41%) the Sudbury Public Schools recently received in two approved roof projects through the MSBA. That, of course, assumes the MSBA accepts the project into one of their programs.
Originally described as a “re-coating” — the initial LSRHS roof project was estimated at just shy of $3 million. Jack Ryan reported that a roof replacement is estimated at roughly $8 million or more, before factoring in other costs such as making the roof solar-ready and hiring an owner’s project manager. With a sizable MSBA reimbursement, the roof replacement would still cost more than the re-coating concept, but would likely provide a more enduring solution with less risk. Ryan pointed to the roofing and construction expertise of the members of the subcommittee to back up that recommendation.
Another discussion point was the phasing of the work. Given the design of the building, the roof could be replaced in different building sections to minimize impact on students. The phasing concept was also a key consideration with regard to the mechanical equipment on top of the roof, which would need to be replaced before the roofing project commences according to Ryan. There remain many tradeoffs to consider. Phasing the project over multiple years could mean higher costs for the later phases. It’s also unclear if the MSBA has ever funded a roof project that was done in phases like the committee discussed.
With a multitude of options for taking on the roof project, the Building Subcommittee will continue its work moving forward, potentially on a longer-term basis. The next steps including researching the possibility of a phased MSBA project, and coordinating with the administration on maintenance and equipment replacements in the next few fiscal years.