High school building timeline unfolds

As students and teachers begin a new school year, new details have emerged about the timeline for the renovation and addition project to Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School (MVRHS).

The renovation and addition, which was approved by taxpayers at a total cost of $333.5 million, will start next June and conclude at the end of the summer of 2030, according to plans and mockups of the project presented by construction management firm W.T. Rich Co. during a High School Building Committee meeting on Sept. 1. W.T. Rich is the co-construction manager at risk (the contractor who assists with design and construction at a guaranteed maximum price, and takes over risk from the property owner) for the project with Shawmut Design and Construction; both companies won the bid last October. 

The MVRHS building project, along with the hundreds of millions of dollars it will cost, was approved by Island voters in June, catapulting the school committee, administrators, and those involved in construction into next steps. The cost of the project will be paid for by taxpayers in each respective town over 30 years, based on a funding formula and individual property values. 

A renovation was initially sought by Island officials because of the state of the school, where mold, asbestos, leaking pipes, flooding, and below-standard classroom sizes and facilities are common, according to past reporting by The Times and interviews with students, faculty, and school committee members.

MVRHS School Committee member Amy Houghton told The Times about her enthusiasm after seeing the building plans in early September. “As it’s exciting to see a painting come into full focus, it’s exciting to see what they’re doing, and different creative ways that they’re maximizing space and looking to bring in new ideas,” Houghton said. “We’re really fortunate to have such an amazing, experienced team working with us.” 

Unlike the Tisbury School building project, completed in 2024, where students had to relocate from the building completely to external classrooms, the high school will be built in three phases to avoid relocation. Students will be moved from one side of the building to the other during each phase of construction so that studies can continue through those three years. The first phase will span from July 2027 to January 2029, and entail renovations to the gym building and its surrounding classrooms, along with renovations to MVRHS’ Performing Arts Center (PAC). 

Phase 2 consists of additional renovations to the building, including roof replacements, and possible interior work, such as on the locker rooms, during the summers of 2027 and 2028. The project executive for W.T. Rich, Evan Moore, said that he hopes to reopen the PAC and relocate students and faculty in preparation for the building demolition by the start of 2029. 

The final phase will begin with a building demolition from July to October 2029, and a completion of the school’s exterior, including a new grass playing field at the western corner of Sanderson and Edgartown–Vineyard Haven roads, and a renovated track and field, by June 2030.

The three-year building project will make several upgrades to the school. The new design, by architect firm Tappé Architects, features higher ceilings, hallways that are easier to navigate, and the addition of a second story. While final renderings are not complete, the project will also address long-standing structural, mechanical, and technical issues. The new building will be all-electric, with central air and an additional 34,000 square feet, mainly due to necessary upgrades to the Career Technical Education programs like horticulture, culinary arts, and early childhood education.

Planned renovations to the school’s PAC will impact operations at the Island’s largest indoor auditorium. During the summer months, the PAC is frequently used for large events, such as the Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival in August and the Martha’s Vineyard Author Series, which featured former First Lady Michelle Obama this summer. The MVRHS School Committee plans to discuss the festival’s feasibility at the PAC at its next meeting on Sept. 14, according to Houghton. 

As soon as the school year ends, contractors will begin setting aside materials for the first phase of construction on the school’s track and field, Moore said. During construction, track is the only sport expected to be impacted significantly by the building project, as of now. 

Moore also highlighted the need to adjust the pickup and drop-off locations for the school buses. Although W.T. Rich has devised “preliminary ideas,” Moore said that he needs to discuss the new route plans with school officials.

W.T. Rich Co. previously worked on the Tisbury School and Edgartown library, as well as on multiple large school-building projects across the state. In its previous work on the Vineyard, the company employed some locals, and worked with representatives in the Island’s towns.

Shawmut Design and Construction hasn’t yet undertaken a Vineyard building project, but has completed dozens of K–12 school building projects countrywide. Shawmut was also the primary contractor for Harvard University, Fenway Park, and Gucci and Louis Vuitton luxury goods stores across the country.

The MVRHS Building Committee will meet again on Sept. 29.