BOSTON, MA – Katherine Craven, Executive Director of the Massachusetts School Building Authority (“MSBA”), was in Dedham today. On behalf of State Treasurer Steven Grossman, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the MSBA, she took part in the “Topping Off” ceremony to celebrate the last steel beam being put in place at the site of the new Avery Elementary School.
The new Avery Elementary School will be a three-story steel frame building with a brick façade and an area of 60,900 square feet. It will serve 310 students in first through fifth grades and is expected to open in 2012. The total budget for the project is approximately $23 million with the MSBA contributing 50.84% of eligible costs. Dedham is being reimbursed for eligible project costs as they are incurred through the MSBA’s Pro-Pay system. To date the MSBA has paid Dedham $1,715,855 for this project.
“I am pleased to be able to take part in this Topping Off ceremony,” stated Executive Director Katherine Craven. “As a result of the collaboration between the MSBA and Dedham, Avery students and staff will have a new, efficient and sustainable environment for learning and teaching.”
"The main goal of the MSBA is to build economically and educationally appropriate schools," said State Treasurer Steven Grossman. "This new school will provide the children of Dedham with a modern learning environment, while ensuring that teachers have the space they need to deliver a quality education."
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 schools. The MSBA reformed the Commonwealth’s formerly rampant and unsustainable program, which was more than $11 billion in debt. The MSBA has made $7.5 billion in reimbursement payments 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.