Members of the Andover High School Building Committee signaled at its meeting Thursday they would prefer replacing the 56-year-old building over moving forward with another renovation.
While a decision by Town Meeting is not expected until next October, the committee has already begun outreach, including discussing the project with residents at Andover Days on Sept. 24. The committee has already said it would move forward without state funding from the Massachusetts School Building Authority, and expects to make a final decision on whether to renovate or build a new school in February.
“People seem to understand the cost and that it’s not going to be a Massachusetts School Building Authority project,” Chair Mark Johnson said at Thursday’s meeting, the committee’s first since the Andover Select Board called a special town meeting to fill a budget shortfall at the West Elementary School building project.
The committee did not discuss the impact the West El overruns would have on getting the project approved or the preliminary budget estimate for a new high school at Thursday’s meeting.
Despite additions in 1981 and 1991, the current high school has outdated technology, poor insulation and mechanical ventilation, and small classrooms with poor lighting. Portions of the building do not meet current building codes or comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The committee plans to hold a public forum to discuss the project and the decisions it is facing at 7 p.m. on Nov. 10 at a location to be determined.