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Essex Elementary School Project

Community Meeting No. 03

December 9, 2025 @ 6:00 PM

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Project Team Introduction
MSBA Process and Schedule
Existing Conditions
Review Potential Sites
Preliminary Review of Alternatives
Educational Programming
Next Steps
Q&A

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Agenda

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Organization/ Project Team

Massachusetts School Building Authority

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Process

Middle

High

School

Memorial

Elementary

School

Essex

Elementary

School

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Dore + Whittier Team

Michael Burton

Partner In Charge

Christina Dell Angelo

Project Director

John Albright

Project Manager

Jacob Greco

Assistant Project Manager

Rachel Rincon

Assistant Project Manager

JCJ Architecture Team

Jim LaPosta Dustin Lombardi

Principal in Charge Project Architect

Fawn Pellegrini

Project Manager

Jeff Elliott

Project Architect

Emily Czarnecki

Interior Designer

School Building Committee

Pam Beaudoin

Superintendent of Schools/SBC

Michelle Cresta

Director of Finance & Ops/SBC

Theresa Whitman

SC/SBC Co-Chair

John Binieris

SC/SBC Co-Chair

Annie Cameron

Essex Select Board/SBC

Tyler Virden

Project Executive/SBC

Gordon Brewster

OPM/SBC

Charlie Hay

Architect/SBC

Kim Provost

Essex Elementary School Principal/SBC

Henry Oettinger

Manchester ConCom/SBC

Tim McDonald

Architect/SBC

Andy Oldeman

Manchester Finance Committee/SBC

Lisa O’Donnell

Essex Planning Board/SBC Advisor

Ariel Fernando Brain

Architect/SBC

Jen Hocherman

Architect/SBC

Michael Gerhardt

Civil Engineer/SBC

David Pereen

Plumbing/Fire Design/SBC Advisor

Emily Dwyer

Essex ES Teacher Rep

Rachelle Russo

Essex ES Teacher Rep/SBC Advisor

Kim Field

Essex ES Teacher Rep/SBC Advisor

Steve Hunt

Facilities Director/SBC Advisor

Project Team

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Who is the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA)?

A quasi-independent government authority created to reform the process of funding capital improvement projects in the Commonwealth’s public schools.

The MSBA strives to work with local communities to create affordable, sustainable, and energy efficient schools across Massachusetts.

Collaborating with municipalities to equitably invest in finding the right-sized, most fiscally responsible and educationally appropriate solutions to create safe, sound, and sustainable learning environments.

MSBA Process

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Where do MSBA grant funds come from? How are they issued?

The MSBA has a dedicated revenue source of 1% from the state’s 6.25% annual sales tax collections.

Grant funds are issued to the district using a “pay-as-you-go”

reimbursement system for the duration of the project.

More than $16.6 billion issued to-date to cities, towns, and regional school districts for school construction projects.

MSBA Process

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How does MSBA determine the level of financial support for projects?

Reimbursement rates are calculated based on a formula that is established in M.G.L ch.70B § 10

The formula starts all districts at a base rate of 31% (of eligible project costs).

The base rate may be adjusted based on three socioeconomic factors:

Community income factor
Community property wealth factor
Community poverty factor

*Essex ES Base Rate is 31%*

6% potentially available from Green School (4%) incentive points and District maintenance policy (2%)

MSBA Process

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What does “eligible project cost” mean?

The MSBA uses a total project budget template to apply and calculate their funding policies to determine the grant amount

The MSBA’s reimbursement rate is applied to “eligible project costs” to determine the MSBA’s participation on each budget line-item.

Construction and Site $605/sf + $73/sf
Furniture, Fixtures & Equipment (FF&E) $1,995/sf
Technology Equipment $1,570/sf

There are funding caps on certain budget items, as well as “categorically ineligible” items that the MSBA will not participate in.

Pools, Field Houses, Elementary School Auditoriums, Central Offices, Senior Centers, site acquisition, and offsite improvements

MSBA Process

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These caps and ineligible costs will have an impact to the final (or “effective”) reimbursement.

Memorial E.S. Example:

- Base Rate of 31%

- CM@ Risk 1% (no longer applicable)

- Maintenance 1.93%

- Energy Efficient School 2% (has increased)

MSBA reimbursement rate 35.93%

“Effective” reimbursement rate ~23% = $11.5 Million from the State

MSBA Process

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MSBA Process

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PROCESS & SCHEDULE

Preliminary Design Program (PDP)

Identify the issues/articulate the educational plan
List options to be studied in PSR

Preliminary Schematic Report (PSR)

Evaluate the site and building options/select a preferred option

Schematic Design (SD)

Develop schematic drawings and specifications

to establish the project budget

Feasibility Phase Process

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PROCESS & SCHEDULE

Preliminary Design

Program

Jan ‘25

May ‘26

Oct ‘26

Tentative Fall ‘26

Module 3

Module 4

Module 5

Timeline is subject to change during the process

Preferred Schematic Report

Schematic

Design

Local

Approval

Feasibility Phase Schedule

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MSBA Requires Development of Several Options including:
Renovation Only	Addition/Renovation	New Construction

Feasibility Phase Requirements

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Feasibility Study Enrollment Configurations to be Studied for Essex Students
Grades PreK-3 165 Students Sited in Essex w/Grades 4 & 5 Integrated into Memorial	Grades PreK-5 250 Students Sited in Essex	Pre-K to 5 515 Students Sited at Manchester Memorial with all Essex & Manchester students in one school
SC Program Vote/Redistricting		SC Program Vote/Redistricting
SC Vote to Amend Regional Agreement		SC Vote to Amend Regional Agreement
Essex & Manchester Town Meeting Vote to Approve Regional Agreement Amendment		Essex & Manchester Town Meeting Vote to Approve Regional Agreement Amendment

Essex & Manchester Town Meeting Full Project Vote & Debt Exclusion Vote

Feasibility Phase Requirements

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The Essex Elementary School building

Total building is approximately 52,900 SF
Originally built in 1957 (68 Years)
Addition provided in 1975 (50 Years) (media center and gymnasium)
The design team's existing investigations began and are ongoing.
Mechanical, electrical & plumbing systems has exceeded life expectancy
Roofing, windows and building materials are deteriorating

Building History

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The roofing system is at life expectancy. There are several repairs, underlayment appears compromised, and water is ponding, so moisture is not shedding quickly.

Existing Conditions

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Shedding water away from the school building through roofing and site drainage is important.

Moisture accelerates:

Spalling at the existing roof eave
Lichen on the masonry
Compromises at the concrete foundation
Plant growth occurring in unplanned or undesirable areas
Deterioration of the original wood windows

Existing Conditions

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Accessibility is being reviewed to enable students, staff and visitors of various abilities to enter the school together (not separate due to physical need, or otherwise). Some of the items included in this review of the site conditions and the school interior include:

Exterior grade changes
Interior level changes
Pitch of sloped walkways and ramps
Handrail design
Push/pull clearances at doorways
Circulation space & turn around space
Mounting heights of accessories, plumbing, and equipment
Furniture
Signage

Existing Conditions

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Mechanical, electrical, plumbing systems are beyond or at life expectancy.
Exhaust fans, unit ventilators and boiler are worn.
Portable fans are seen throughout the school to supplement air circulation
Interior finishes are buckling.
Wood windows are deteriorating.
The water heating system is at the end of its useful life. The mixing value is leaking.

Considerations include:
Efficiency of operation (operational costs for the District)
Efficiency to heat, cool, dehumidify and provide fresh air circulation
Availability of parts quickly for future repairs

Existing Conditions

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Existing Conditions

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Entry and exit sequence for students, staff, and visitors is being reviewed with the District to support the operational needs.

Existing Conditions

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Identified Sites

Statement of interest includes:

Current Essex Elementary School
Current Manchester Memorial Elementary School

Search of other potential sites in Essex:

Town of Essex owned parcels 112
Minimum 9.75 acres 16
Street access & utilities 7
Not used by other town function 1

Town Hall, Spring Street Cemetery, Essex ES, Centennial Grove, DPW Transfer Station, Public Water Supply

30 Apple St

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ESSEX ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

MANCHESTER ESSEX REGIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

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Identified Sites

A

B

C

Current Essex Elementary School

12 Story Street, Essex MA

Current Manchester Memorial Elementary School

43 Lincoln Street, Manchester MA

Apple Street Site

30 Apple Street, Essex MA

Identified Sites

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Removed

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ESSEX ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

MANCHESTER ESSEX REGIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

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Current Essex Elementary School

Opportunities

Established identity in the community
Developed site utilities
Multiple options for site access
Sidewalks on adjacent streets

Constraints

Construction activities on occupied school site
Wetlands & pond
Exposed ledge on north side of site

A

Story St

Western Ave

Wetlands

Pond

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ESSEX ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

MANCHESTER ESSEX REGIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

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Current Manchester Memorial ES

B

Opportunities

Developed site utilities

Constraints

Construction activities on occupied school site
Dense site already fully built out
Loss of tennis courts
Wetlands and flood zone
Transportation from Essex to Manchester
Regional Agreement
MSBA funding considerations

Summer St

Causeway Brook

Lincoln St

Brook St

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ESSEX ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

MANCHESTER ESSEX REGIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

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Apple Street Site

C

Apple Street

DPW

Bridge

Alewife Brook

Landing Rd

Lowland Farm Rd

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27

Bridge

Opportunities

No disruption to existing schools
Simplified construction phasing

Constraints

Restricted site access
No sidewalks
Municipal utilities are undersized
Offsite developments are not MSBA reimbursable
Impacts to adjacent residences / land acquisition for road widening
Regional Agreement Amendment

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The Educational Program enables an evaluation and creation of an initial space summary.
Then the team evaluates the site and grade configuration alternatives to recommend the most cost effective and educationally appropriate preferred solution.

The Educational Program is developed through programming workshops to:

Build a shared understanding
Envision through an educational and scenario-based lens
Align renovated or new spaces with the educational program

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Educational &

Community Priorities

Manchester Essex’s Educational Program

Developmental Impacts &

Enrollment Scenarios

Physical &

Social-Emotional Needs

Program

Adjacencies

High-Quality

Instructional Practices

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Next Steps/Upcoming Meetings

1/6/2026 SBC Approval for the Preliminary Design Program to the MSBA
1/28/2026 Community Meeting No. 4

Located at Essex Elementary School building tour @4:30, meeting starts at 6pm

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Q&A

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Project Website

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Thank You!

Thank you!