October 1 BOE Facilities Committee Meeting

The Darien Public Schools BOE Facilities Committee reviewed updated educational specifications and capital planning for Middlesex Middle School at its October 1 meeting (meeting metadata is dated October 2, 2026). KG&D presented proposed building and campus work developed with district staff and educators, including a two-story, approximately 28,000-square-foot addition with 12 classrooms and labs; security and entrance improvements; roof, mechanical and electrical work; kitchen upgrades; and classroom, theater and student-support renovations. An independent estimate prepared by OMG put the combined Priority 1 and 2 project at about $95 million, including approximately $31.5 million in infrastructure improvements and roughly $20 million for Priority 2 work. A new 800-seat auditorium option could add an estimated $10–15 million, potentially bringing the project to about $110 million; the committee discussed whether the specifications should preserve broader options for long-term capacity and performance needs.

No contract award, expenditure authorization, or formal vote was reported. The committee discussed forwarding the educational specifications to the full Board of Education for consideration, after which the board could approve a project and request formation of a building committee. The process would include town approvals, selection of design and construction-management professionals, further studies and schematic design, and a state grant application targeted for May or June 2027. Members emphasized that work not included in the specifications could be difficult to fund through a later state grant, and called for further review of auditorium and addition options before finalizing the project scope.