WORCESTER – A new Burncoat High and Middle School could run upwards of $500 million in construction costs, according to a recent communication from City Manager Eric Batista to the City Council.
In Dec. 2023, the Massachusetts School Building Authority voted unanimously to make Burncoat High School eligible for state funding. The City hopes the MSBA helps fund a significant portion of the construction costs.
Worcester Public Schools had previously proposed Burncoat High School for an MSBA-funded project 13 times since 2008.
At Tuesday’s city council meeting, Batista is requesting that council members vote on and approve a loan order for $3 million to cover design and architectural fees as part of a feasibility study to be submitted to the MSBA. According to Batista, the loan authorization will be the first of many for the estimated $500 million project.
Borrowing for the Burncoat project could increase the city’s current debt by 25%.
If approved by the MSBA, the City will receive a reimbursement rate for fees and other costs associated with the feasibility study.
The entire design and construction project is anticipated to take five to seven years.
When the new project is completed, Burncoat will be the fifth Worcester high school with a brand-new building in roughly 25 years, with Worcester Technical High School (2006), North High (2011), South High Community School (2016) and Doherty Memorial (2024) all having been replaced.
The current Burncoat High was constructed in 1964.
