Overview

LiRo-Hill was hired by the Town of Natick, MA, through the Natick High School Building Committee and the School Committee, to deliver owner’s project management services for the new Natick High School. We assisted the Town in addressing challenges associated with the existing high school by conducting a comprehensive evaluation of renovation and construction alternatives. After careful consideration, constructing a new state-of-the-art high school emerged as the preferred solution. Subsequently, the Town advanced into the schematic design phase of the project.

About the Project

We leveraged the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) Model School program to streamline the feasibility and design phases, completing them in approximately six months — half the duration of a traditional process. The design and procurement phases were also accelerated, with the project advertised nearly a year ahead of schedule. This efficiency resulted in approximately $10 million in savings compared to initial projections. These savings empowered the Town to allocate resources to other crucial initiatives. Notably, the project is recognized for delivering one of the highest returns on investment among MSBA-funded endeavors.

Outcome

The 3-story, 255,000 sf building is designed to accommodate 1,300 students from grade nine through twelve, and features football and soccer fields. It has earned LEED Silver Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.