Here’s a Boston Globe article about the opening of Newton’s new high school, after 10 years and $200 million spent. It replaces a school built in the 1970s that looks a lot more solid than most of the buildings and houses in Massachusetts. I found it interesting that the journalist did not take the time to put the cost into context. A simple calculation and Google search reveals that the Newton school cost about $500 per square foot to build against a nationwide average of about $170 during the period of major construction (source).
6 thoughts on “Newton’s $200 million high school opens”
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WTF why does a school need a giant football stadium, Olympic size pool and two gymnasiums? It looks more like a sports complex.
Tekumse: Newton is (or was anyway) a fairly wealthy town. I don’t think the question is whether they needed all of that stuff, but whether it had to cost $500 per square foot.
Two years ago, I met the project manager for the school one evening at a mutual friend’s house. I asked how the cost could be justified. She said that the municipal government was constrained by fixed budgets, whereas in the private sector “you could always just make more money.” I replied, “sure, I’ll just wave my magic wand and make more money, no problem.” As a life-long bureaucrat, she obviously had never worked in the private sector, nor had any real sense of the value of money. I’m glad Mayor Cohen is gone, gone, gone.
Hey Phil – no worries, that’s just chump change. Out here, LA has crushed the competition with the Taj Mahal of high schools. Now that a couple are complete, all the school systems will need one.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100822/ap_on_re_us/us_taj_mahal_schools
From the article: “The pricey schools have come during a sensitive period for the nation’s second-largest school system: Nearly 3,000 teachers have been laid off over the past two years, the academic year and programs have been slashed. The district also faces a $640 million shortfall and some schools persistently rank among the nation’s lowest performing.”
Thank goodness that at least we’re getting excellent value for our money…
Boston needs to step up the big leagues. $200M only buys you half a school in Los Angeles. For only $500M, LAUSD destroyed the Ambassador Hotel.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-back-to-school-20100913,0,6551276.story
Nothing is good enought for Newton young boys and girls.
I’m just surprise that they dont have a wholefood store to cater to their organic food needs and massage fom “Wellness”
The team (anyone associated with) that allowed/voted for such idiotic expenditure should be dealt with harshly.
I’m far from convince that they will perform better in sports or in their studies.
What is next for Newton special kids? coach limousine or BMW’s.
This is an outrage, and I think that many kids in India and China will overall perform better with very limited facilities.
Voltaire