BOSTON, MA – State Treasurer Steven Grossman, Chairman of the Massachusetts School Building Authority (“MSBA”), and Katherine Craven, MSBA Executive Director, today announced that the MSBA Board voted to approve funding for an addition and renovation project at the Heath School. The next step in the process is for Brookline and the MSBA to enter into a Project Funding Agreement which will detail the project’s scope and budget and set forth the terms and conditions under which the town will receive its grant from the MSBA.
The project includes the renovation of 66,544 square feet of the school and the construction of a 14,408 square foot addition. The school will serve approximately 560 students from Pre-K to eighth grade. The total cost of the project is $8.8 million with the MSBA contributing 39.93% of eligible project costs for a total grant of $3,380,588.
“This is a great day for Brookline, students of the Heath School, and the MSBA. I am pleased that the MSBA Board approved this grant of $3.3 million. We have worked together long and hard and now we have plans for an efficient, sustainable, affordable and much improved Heath School that will save not only local taxpayers but also taxpayers state-wide,” said State Treasurer Steven Grossman.
“An improved Heath School will address facility deficiencies as well as eliminate overcrowding, allowing the teachers to better deliver their educational program,” stated Katherine Craven, MSBA Executive Director.
The MSBA strives to find the right-sized, most fiscally responsible and educationally appropriate solutions to create safe and sound learning environments. The MSBA is committed to protecting the taxpayer’s dollar by improving the school building grant process and avoiding the mistakes of the past in the funding and construction of school facilities. In its six year history, the MSBA has made $7.5 billion in reimbursements to cities, towns and regional school districts for school construction projects. These timely payments have saved municipalities over $2.9 billion in avoided local interest costs and have provided much needed cash flow to communities in these difficult economic times.
