Model schools

State treasurer showcases two new designs for frugality amid skyrocketing building costs

In a throwback to early 20th-century school architecture, the three-year-old Whitman-Hanson Regional High School features a three-story, red-brick exterior with majestic granite-like cornice and arched windows.

Inside, the two-story-high common areas feature veneer red oak paneling and plasma televisions. The library has comfortable upholstered armchairs, and the gymnasium a walking track that loops above the bleachers.

The opening of this school in 2005 prompted one local newspaper to dub it the "Taj Mahal of high schools."

But now this 239,000-square-foot building, along with the more modest Ashland High School, is being held up as an example of frugality that should be replicated across the state. State Treasurer Timothy Cahill selected the two as "model schools" as part of a new pilot program that he believes could help rein in school project costs that have skyrocketed above $100 million.

While Whitman-Hanson may appear elaborate, Cahill said, its $41.9 million price tag was reasonable, and it opened on time - two key factors that made Ashland stand out, too. Cahill hopes the program will eliminate one-upmanship, which at times has prompted a spate of field houses, swimming pools, and other expensive perks.

"It's not just what the state can afford for these projects but what the towns can afford," Cahill said in an interview last week. "Standardization will take the envy factor out of the process."

Whitman-Hanson and Ashland, which was also completed in 2005, were selected as models earlier this month by the Massachu setts School Building Authority's board of directors, which Cahill chairs, beating out proposals from architects for 10 other recently built high schools.

The two schools exemplify how the state can be thrifty without sacrificing aesthetics or quality building materials, Cahill said. The designs also met criteria for energy efficiencies, environmental friendliness, and size. The schools had to be 170,000 to 240,000 square feet and serve 900 to 1,350 students.

But many local architects, engineers, and other building trade professionals remain skeptical that prototype schools can save much money in a state where wetlands, stone outcroppings, or steep terrain often present expensive and unique construction obstacles to each site, ultimately influencing a building's design and cost.

"It's not as simple as pulling drawings off a shelf and saying to a community, 'This will work for you,' " said John Nunnari, public policy director for the Boston Society of Architects, who said the state could reap better savings by developing standards for building materials and allowing construction contractors to join in the local design process.

It remains unclear how much the schools would cost to build now, with higher construction and fuel costs. Mount Vernon Group Architects in Woburn, designers of $39.8 million Ashland High, did not provide any updated cost estimates in its proposal, and declined calculating an estimate when asked by the Globe last week, citing volatility in the commodities market.

Whitman-Hanson's designer, Ai3/Architecture Involution in Wayland, estimated in its proposal that the school would cost about $15 million more if built this year, but acknowledged this week that the cost of materials could affect future pricing.

Cahill said he feels confident the two model schools will remain affordable, but added, "we could be wrong."

"That's why it's a pilot program," he said.

Keeping costs down is a primary concern for the school building authority, which has $2.5 billion to spend over five years - hardly enough to support more than 400 potential projects identified by local districts. Cahill in recent months has blasted the Newton North High School project, which has nearly doubled in cost to $197.5 million, and climbing price tags in Wellesley and Norwood.

Cahill has threatened to reject state reimbursement for school districts that forgo a model school in favor of a more expensive project, if suitable land is available. State reimbursement generally ranges between 40 and 80 percent.

Of 81 potential high school projects, the school building authority has identified eight that are far enough in the planning process and have suitable sites for a model school. Norwood and Hampden-Wilbraham have volunteered to be the first. Other potential projects are in Dracut, Longmeadow, Natick, Plymouth, Tewksbury, and Wayland.

"I think it's a good concept," said Paul C. Gagliarducci, Hampden-Wilbraham's superintendent. "It's almost the same thing you would do when building a house. The architect sends you to visit houses they already designed and you pick the one you like."

In Wellesley, the authority has determined wetlands prevent a model school from fitting there, but authority officials reduced costs from $159 million to $110 million by incorporating some aspect of the model school designs.

Whitman-Hanson and Ashland share many similarities. The schools are largely laid out in simple square or rectangular blocks - unlike Newton's zigzag shape - while maximizing classroom exposure to natural light, which the architects say sets a nice tone for student learning and cuts down on heating expenses.

But frugality doesn't mean that they skimped: both feature state-of-the-art classrooms equipped with computerized ceiling projectors that allow teachers to deliver PowerPoint presentations and images directly from the Internet. Both have auditoriums with stadium seating.

"There's not a single thing I would change," said Edward Lee, Whitman-Hanson's principal. "As a principal you often act as a landlord; this is a great building and allows you to devote more attention to what's most important - the academics of students."

On a tour of the school last week, James Jordan, a partner at Ai3 Architects, said careful design and craftsmanship gives Whitman-Hanson the illusion of lavishness. From afar, portions of the school's facade resemble granite, but the cornice is stucco and the stone blocks at the base are a textured concrete. Those two materials, he said, were less expensive to purchase than the red brick.

Inside, the awe-inspiring main entryway of veneer red-wood paneling, stone-like columns and walls, and porcelain tile floors subtly fades into painted cinderblock and traditional floor tiles further down the hallways by maintaining a consistent color scheme throughout the building.

"It was a dream project," said Jordan, noting the construction contractor and school district asked for few changes during construction, keeping the project on budget and on time. "Everything went smoothly. That's a testament to a lot of planning and investigation up front by all involved."

The Ashland school looks more modern and sleek. Although the lobby and hallways are made of cinder block, they are painted in soft earth tones of slate blue, salmon, and eggshell, a far cry from the mundane gray that marked school buildings of old. Red and burnt-orange brick columns run throughout the school, while white-birch doors, cabinets, and windowsills conjure up images from an IKEA catalog.

"This kind of design shows the community has pride in its schools," said Frank Tedesco, Mount Vernon Group Architects' president.

Whitman-Hanson and Ashland schools were designed for their communities. Other communities may have to make some modifications to the plans to accommodate their programs and needs.

"There are no perfect schools," Cahill said last week, denying his position has softened. "This is not the perfect schools program. This is a model of best practices. . . . It remains to be seen if we will be successful, but I'm confident we will be."