LYNN — Work is underway on the final phase of a $7 million repair job at Hood Elementary School.
Over the next three months, new flooring and new fire-alarm and fire-sprinkler systems will be installed in the building, according to Michael Donovan, the city’s Inspectional Services Department (ISD) chief.
This summer’s work, scheduled to be completed by Aug. 15, will cost the city about $1.1 million, Donovan said.
Last fall, nearly $5.8 million worth of repairs was completed at the site, which included replacing the roof, adding bay windows, and making the building handicap accessible.
“That’s it as far as the Hood School,” said Donovan. “We’ve taken it as far as it can go. It will be in very good shape.”
Although this summer’s work is “on the city’s dime,” Donovan said the bulk of the project has been reimbursed by the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA), a quasi-independent government authority that helps fund the construction of school buildings.
As the roof and window replacement project was accepted into the program, the MSBA will reimburse the city $4.2 million, or 72 percent of the cost of those repairs, according to its website.
Hood Elementary, built in 1961, in one of the newer schools in the city. By comparison, nine of the city’s public schools are more than 100 years old and Lynn Woods Elementary School, built in 1921, is also nearing the century mark, according to MSBA data.
“(The repair work) refreshes it,” said Donovan. “It’s not a total rehab, but there’s some new elements that have been refreshed.”
No repairs are underway at any of the other public schools, as a lot of work for Fiscal Year 2020 was carried out last summer. Additional projects won’t start until the start of the next fiscal year (2021), which begins on July 1, Donovan said.
However, the scope of work remains unclear as the city budget has not been determined due to the continued impact of the coronavirus, Donovan said.
If the funding is provided, Donovan said this year’s public school renovations will include flooring and lighting projects, LED light installations, exterior work and sidewalk repairs.
“It doesn’t sound like a lot but when you apply it to 28 buildings, it adds up,” said Donovan.
Mayor Thomas M. McGee said capital improvement projects will be determined by how much state and federal funding the city receives and how that shapes the FY21 budget.
Citing the projected $4-6 billion state budget deficit, McGee said the city is also looking at reduced revenues for 2021.
“We’re still working through that with the budget,” said McGee. “We’re in the process of putting the pieces together as we make those decisions. It’s hard to say what will happen until we get a general picture of the (state and federal) dollars.”
