Take A Look At The Ongoing School Construction Projects In Stamford

STAMFORD, CT — Stamford Public Schools has made substantial investments in both new school construction and improvements to existing facilities in recent years, with several big projects progressing this past summer and into the fall.

The district has invested approximately $750 million into new construction, headlined by the new Westhill High School, along with around $40-$45 million to enhance existing buildings.

SPS's ambitious long-term facilities plan has now garnered the attention of the American Public Works Association, which posted a video featuring numerous city and school officials who provided a look into how the school facility projects are transforming the city's schools and strengthening neighborhoods.

View the full video on YouTube

"Yes, there are schools built across the state of Connecticut, but this is different because we're doing not only a number of new schools, but we're lifting up all the other schools as well," Stamford's Director of School Construction Katherine LoBalbo recently told Patch in an interview. "This is a really special moment for the City of Stamford."

LoBalbo, a registered architect who began her role in 2023, gave Patch a rundown on the various school construction projects and the work completed this past summer and the tasks ahead for the fall and winter.

Westhill High School

The school district broke ground on the new $446 million Westhill High School in June, with a projected opening date in 2029. The project has an 80 percent reimbursement rate.

Regrading of the site is underway to prepare for foundation work, which is expected to start in a few weeks. Site demolition could take place from October to January, with steel erection to follow.

Drilling for geothermal wells, which provide natural heat for heating, cooling or electricity, was set to begin this week. According to LoBalbo, the well field will have 240 wells, making it one of the largest in Connecticut. The well field will wrap around the site and back, and go underneath the football stadium and athletic fields.

Crews will be able to install about 1.5 wells per day at a depth of 500 feet, LoBalbo said.

A new synthetic turf field in the front field at Westhill was installed for $750,000 in the summer, and it will serve as the main athletic field for the next two to three years, LoBalbo said.

At 450,000 square feet, the school has been designed to accommodate up to 2,458 students and will feature nearly 100 classrooms, including general education, science, special education, and specialized learning spaces designed to support the school’s many career pathway programs.

There will also be a state-of-the-art indoor pool facility and a performing arts center.

Roxbury K-8

The new Roxbury K-8 school is estimated to cost $130 million and open in 2028.

Summer 2026 work included setting the construction fence, demolishing portables that were installed in the 1990s, and creating new parking and play areas to be used during construction of the new school.

Soil enhancements are underway to prepare for foundation work, and the building portion of the project is currently out to bid, LoBalbo said.

"We're very excited. We've had a lot of interest," she noted.
During site work, a time capsule that was buried in 1998 was discovered. The school is expected to open the capsule in the coming weeks.

Lower New School (K-4)

Supported by a state grant, the building at 83 Lockwood Ave. will be demolished and the site will be transformed into a new school. The project is in the design development phase, with site work expected to begin in 2027, LoBalbo said. The new school is scheduled to open for the 2029-30 school year.

Upper New School (5-8)

The upper new school will follow the completion of the lower school and will be built at the current site of K.T. Murphy Elementary School on Horton Street. LoBalbo said the project just completed design development and is moving to the construction documents stage. The school is on track to open in 2031.

Other School Enhancements

Crews were busy over the summer making enhancements to existing school buildings.

At Stamford High School, the upper soccer field was redone for $750,000.

Strawberry Hill School received a 60 percent reimbursement rate on a $450,000 project to install solar panels on the roof, LoBalbo said. The project, while small in comparison to other initiatives, is expected to be impactful in the classroom.

LoBalbo said officials are working with the city's engineering department to determine how to install displays for students to learn about and see how much energy is generated from the solar panels.

"We're very excited about making this accessible and making our clean energy initiatives accessible to students at a young age," LoBalbo said.

"I think it's a great opportunity to build their love for being caretakers of the earth, being caretakers of their community, and that passion for that," she added. "Just as we have this amazing opportunity to ignite that excitement in them to start having careers in architecture and construction, we also want to let them know that what we're doing is meaningful, has impact, and that there are real numbers there."

A roof replacement/indoor air quality project priced at $350,000 and reimbursed at 60 percent began last spring at Newfield Elementary School and will run through next summer, LoBalbo said.

New ceilings and ducts were installed to provide cooling, which previously was only possible at Newfield through energy-inefficient window AC units.

The new cooling system is expected to be turned on next summer after the infrastructure work is complete.

"While [students] won't be able to see these changes, I'm certain that they will feel them," LoBalbo said. "When you are more comfortable, we know that's tied to better academic performance."

New and more efficient lighting is also included in the project.

Davenport Ridge Elementary School underwent a full roof/insulation replacement since the previous roof was beyond its useful life and out of warranty, LoBalbo said. The project cost $3.6 million and is reimbursed at 60 percent.

"It's all about making smart decisions; let's lower our consumption, let's do what we can even in our existing buildings," LoBalbo noted.

Several other projects are on the horizon, such as a $14 million window replacement, roofing and accessibility project at Julia A. Stark Elementary School, an approximately $5 million indoor air quality project at Rippowam Middle School, roofing replacements at Turn of River Middle School, and new solar panels at Westover School.

Officials are also seeking a $27 million grant for improvements at SHS.

LoBalbo thanked her colleagues and other officials for their work in securing grants for projects, many of which are competitive grants. She also thanked the community, students and staff for their support.

"The best thing is when the students and staff walk into their buildings on the first day of school. They are such great critics of our work," LoBalbo said. "I really enjoy the way we get to bring these projects to our students and our staff. They have incredibly thoughtful questions, and their perspectives really help us build better projects."

While there are challenges with juggling multiple school projects, LoBalbo said she finds them exciting to navigate.

"It makes me excited to come to work every day," she said.

LoBalbo noted she's looking forward to achieving project milestones and reiterated the moment SPS finds itself in.

"We are really lifting up the district," she said of the ongoing construction work. "It's fantastic."

LoBalbo was slated to give the Board of Education a summary of construction work during the board's meeting on Tuesday night.

For more information and updates on SPS school projects, click here.