Lowell School Building Committee Approves $143,330 Budget Transfer for Geotechnical Overruns

LOWELL — September 18, 2025 — Lowell's School Building Committee approved an internal budget transfer of $143,330 to cover geotechnical cost overruns as the high school renovation surpassed $299 million in total invoices. The committee voted to move the funds from owner's contingency — which began at $1.8 million — to the geotech and geoenvironmental line item to cover overruns with soils consultant Nobis and with Haley and Aldrich, firms whose scope expands as excavation uncovers unexpected conditions. Owner's project manager Jim Dow warned that the separate construction contingency, which started at $21.2 million, has fallen to $3.8 million and is "on track to run out just after the first of the year," with the city now working on additional funding. The state has reimbursed more than $200 million of project costs to date. Members also pressed the construction team on lingering floor glue, open seams, and two subcontractor errors — incorrectly ordered culinary gas stoves and gym stair treads — both to be corrected at no cost to the city.