Pittsfield Awarded $72.4M Grant for New Taconic High School

State Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg, Chair of the Massachusetts School Building Authority  (MSBA), and MSBA Executive Director Jack McCarthy today announced that the MSBA Board of Directors voted to approve a grant of up to $72.4 million to replace the existing Taconic High School in Pittsfield with a new facility on the existing site. One of the next steps is for the District and the MSBA to enter into a Project Funding Agreement, which will detail the project’s scope and budget, along with the conditions under which the City will receive its MSBA grant.
 
“Upon completion, the new school in Pittsfield will provide a modern learning environment for the City’s students,” Treasurer Goldberg said. “Our goal is to create the best space to deliver the district’s educational commitments and goals.”
 
The new 246,520 square-foot school will be built based on a design enrollment of 920 students in grades 9 through 12. The MSBA will contribute 80% of eligible costs toward the project, for a total grant of up to $74,202,483. The current school was built in 1969 and suffers from deficiencies in major building systems including mechanical, electrical, plumbing and roof.
 
“The new Taconic High School will replace an aging building with an up-to-date, 21st century learning facility,” stated Executive Director McCarthy. “Students will soon have a beautiful new space which will undoubtedly enhance and improve their ability to excel in the classroom.”
 
The MSBA partners with Massachusetts communities to support the design and construction of educationally appropriate, flexible, sustainable and cost-effective public school facilities. Since its 2004 inception, the Authority has made over 1,500 site visits to more than 250 school districts as part of its due diligence process and has made over $11.3 billion in reimbursements for school construction projects.