A new high school building in Burlington, Vt., could cost more than $200 million, according to district estimates.
The Burlington Free Press reports that the Burlington district is looking to build a replacement for Burlington High that would be between 273,040 to 315,850 square feet.
That puts the cost at between $161 million and $207 million.
The district is seeking to replace Burlington High because the existing facility was closed in 2020 after elevated levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were found in several buildings on the campus.
The high school was temporarily relocated to a vacant department store last year while the district determined if the contaminated facility could be saved. Ultimately, administrators decided a new school would have to be built.
The district has said it wishes to spend $10 million of COVID relief funds on the construction project.
In addition to the construction costs, the district will need to pay for hazardous chemical cleanup of the old high school. That is expected to cost between $26 million and $29 million.
The Burlington district is expected to ask voters this fall to approve a bond to pay for the new school.
