PEABODY — The city has taken the first step to replace its 48-year-old high school.
“I was a student at Veterans Memorial High School when it was built in 1971 and it was the city’s crown jewel,” said School Committee member Beverley Ann Griffin Dunne. “It’s not anymore and must be replaced.”
The seven-member panel voted unanimously last week to submit an application for funding to the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA). The quasi-independent state agency funds a portion of the construction and renovation of public schools.
If approved, the school could open as early as September 2022.
While many details have to be worked out, the new facility would be built on the school’s 50-acre campus on Lowell Street.
But there’s no guarantee the new school will be funded. Competition is fierce as communities scramble to replace outdated and overcrowded schools. Last year, MSBA approved only a dozen of the 70 requests to fund new schools or major renovations. The agency plans to distribute $575 million for the latest round of applications.
The MSBA is funded by collecting one penny of the state’s 6.25 percent sales tax, nearly $900 million last year. Since its inception in 2004, the agency has given $13.6 billion in reimbursements to municipalities and regional school districts for school construction projects.
The next step is City Council approval, which is expected to be unanimous on Thursday, March 28. The MSBA application deadline is April 12.
It’s not known yet what a new high school would cost, but it’s a big ticket item.
Last month, MSBA approved design of a 418,000-square-foot high school in Waltham for 1,830 students for $310 million.
Belmont is in the planning stages for a 410,000-square-foot multi-story building to house more than 2,000 students at a cost of $310 million. A new Somerville High School is under construction on a hill behind the existing school for $257 million.
Costs have risen dramatically since the controversial Newton North High School was built in 2000 for nearly $200 million. At the time, critics called it the Taj Mahal of school building projects.
Still, communities are not on the hook for the entire amount. If the MSBA gives the green light to Peabody, the agency would cover up to 56 percent of the cost. Typically, the city would borrow the money and pay it back over 10-30 years.
But the price tag does not dissuade Griffin Dunne.
“I see what needs to be done,” she said. “It’s frustrating to fix a leaky roof in one section of the building only to see a leak spring in another section of the building.”
Peabody has some experience securing MSBA funding and building new schools.
In 2013, the city was awarded $43.6 million for the new J. Henry Higgins Middle School, or nearly 47 percent of the $93 million school. The 221,518-square-foot facility was built to serve 1,340 students in grades six through eight. It replaced the 50-year-old school that suffered from deficiencies in major building systems, including mechanical, electrical, heating and the roof.
Mayor Edward A. Bettencourt Jr. did not return a call seeking comment.
The mayor made construction of a new high school a priority in his State of the City address in January.
Despite recent improvements, the mayor said the school will require millions of dollars to maintain. Decisions will have to be made whether the school should be renovated or built new, he said at the time. The administration is leaning toward a new building.
“Our school leadership, Superintendent (Cara) Murtagh, our School Committee and I all agree that Peabody needs to invest in a modern facility which inspires our students and their teachers to be the very best they can be,” he said.
On what happens next, Griffin Dunne said she plans to pray.
“Once we submit the application, I will go St. John’s every night and light a vigil until the MSBA makes their decision,” she said.