Lexington High School Rebuild Sets July 6 Start, Reports $2.2 Million in Design Savings

LEXINGTON — June 25, 2026 — Lexington's School Building Committee marks July 6 as the start of construction on the new Lexington High School, with a formal groundbreaking set for September 15. The project team — SMMA, Turner Construction, and Doran Whittier — told roughly two dozen in-person and online attendees at the 14th community meeting on June 25 that target value design collaboration has yielded $2.2 million in savings through the design development phase, with the next cost checkpoint a 60 percent construction document estimate due September 21. Permitting is largely resolved: Article 97 was signed by the governor on June 10, the Conservation Commission order of conditions hearing closed June 24, and a MEPA environmental certificate is expected within days; a FEMA flood-zone determination remains pending but is not on the critical path. Resident Olga challenged the $535,000 to $550,000 skate park relocation budget — she was the original project manager when the park was built — and pressed for a contingency noise plan for the relocated park near the neighborhood; Turner's Jamie Meiser confirmed the work is awarded and within budget. The three-year build targets a June 2029 turnover, with a $100,000 allowance reserved for a public art presence visible from Depot Square.