Blackstone Valley Vocational Regional School District’s Innovative Self-funded Roof Repair
Ideal strategy avoids debt obligation and costs by our member towns – March 12, 2019
Following the district’s commitment to live within its budget, Blackstone Valley Tech (BVT) continues to find ideal financial solutions to final phase of roofing repair project.
The district will self-fund the reroofing of the 54-year-old building with (53+%) reimbursement funds from the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) along with $360,000 realized from the sale of the Trask Land on Chestnut Street. The land was sold last summer to Alfonso Builders of Milford. MSBA authorities have historically commented that for an educational system to embark and complete a project without bonding is remarkable. This ideal strategy will avoid debt obligation and costs by our member towns.
“Blackstone Valley Vocational Regional School District’s financing plan for a needed roof repair utilizes state funds and in-house resources,” said Don Comastra, a long-term District Finance Committee Member. “This arrangement would eliminate the need for member town contributions to this expensive project, and seems to provide an ideal solution to this maintenance requirement.”
The first three phases, which consisted of a self-funded restoration using a white knight system in 2006 [+/-53,000 sq. ft.] and two MSBA funded full-replacements in 2011 [+/-42,000 sq. ft.] and 2015 [+/- 37,000 sq. ft.], were successfully completed and have contributed to both energy efficiency and improved building integrity.
This fourth and final phase completes the restoration to the remaining section of the 29 year old Carlisle [black EPDM] roofing system and eliminates the need for maintenance and repairs. Since the old black roof surface has no reflective qualities and therefore absorbs solar heat, the occupied space below requires additional energy to be maintained at a comfortable temperature during warm weather. The installation or new insulation coupled with a highly reflective [white] surface will reduce the amount of heat transferred into (and out of) the building, resulting in energy efficiency and cost saving in both warm and cold seasons.
The completion of the critical roof repair project ensures the safety of the students at BVT, as well as the safety of the investment the District towns have made to make BVT an exceptional academic and vocational institution. This arrangement would eliminate the need for member town contributions to this expensive project and seems to provide an ideal solution to this maintenance requirement.