$57 Million Natatorium Recommended As Greenwich High School Pool Facility Nears End Of Life

GREENWICH, CT — The aquatics program at Greenwich High School has performed at a high-level for many years, and now it may get a top-tier $57 million facility to match.

On Nov. 20, the Greenwich Board of Education was presented with the educational specifications and the recommended option for a new GHS natatorium from Lisa Yates of Antinozzi Associates Architecture.

For the past seven months, the GHS Natatorium Feasibility Committee, made up of various stakeholders, has met over 50 times to examine options for a new pool facility.

The existing natatorium facility was built in 1968 as part of the school's main building, and it received renovations in 1997. Early this year, the Greenwich Public Schools Facilities Department noticed issues with leaks and ponding water at the pool deck.

TLB Architecture was brought on to conduct a technical facility assessment, and found several pressing issues with the current facility.

Notably, there is an existing steel girder approximately 12 feet above and a little over six feet ahead of the diving board -- more than four feet less than required by NCAA regulations, which are incorporated by reference into Department of Public Health regulations.

Additionally, there is insufficient pool deck accessibility, issues with drainage, and the pool's mechanical systems are at the end of their useful life.

Diving has been closed at the GHS pool, with the dive team utilizing the pool at the YMCA of Greenwich.

Of the 11 options investigated for a new facility, the front-runner was Option 5, which would construct a new natatorium with a 35 meter short-course stretch pool facility where the existing tennis courts are near Cardinal Stadium.

The 46,000-square-foot building would feature an elevated pool deck, locker rooms, restrooms, alumni room, and upper tier seating,

Two different layouts for the facility were presented, with one minimizing the amount of tree removal work.

Option 5 would incorporate the second driveway/egress from East Putnam Avenue, while also keeping the natatorium away from impacted soil located elsewhere on the GHS campus.

Because of the driveway and the fact the current GHS tennis courts are also in need of replacement, eight new courts would be built at North Street School so as to not disrupt the tennis program.

The new pool facility would also feature visitor locking rooms, something Yates said would make it "a real community pool." She noted the option's high potential for rental income.

The conceptual total project cost for option 5 was estimated to be $57.4 million, according to Yates.

"This is an expensive endeavor, no matter how you look at it. Really, it's important to improve the function and capacity of the natatorium while we're at it," she said.

Yates said landing on an option that would not interrupt or impact the swimming or tennis seasons was important.

"One of [Option 5's] major benefits, like with many school projects, we really like when we can build the new facility before we take the old one off line," Yates said. "High schools in particular, the sites are very active, and this enables you to take the money you're spending on this project and really focus it on the building."

While it's still early in the feasibility process and there hasn't been approval of any plans, Yates said construction could begin as early as summer 2027 if the schedule moves on without delay. Construction would take about two years.

Yates said GPS Director of Facilities Dan Watson indicated in interest in eventually using the old pool building to house utilities and mechanicals for the high school.

Board of Education member Sophie Koven, who was a part of the GHS Natatorium Feasibility Committee, spoke about the group's work and how thorough and deliberate it was.

"There was a lot of analysis of many different factors," she said.

Koven said the committee took a holistic approach and looked at several areas in need at GHS.

"I think we really achieved that here by focusing on the driveway, which has really been a priority for the neighbors, but also is a major public safety and school safety issue. I'm really excited about getting that done," she said.

"The tennis courts are also unfortunately at end-of-life, so we need new tennis courts, and once you put the driveway in, there is no great place to put them on the campus unfortunately," Koven added. "Eight tennis courts is a huge footprint. This is kind of a nice solution for that."

Koven acknowledged that moving a sport off the GHS campus would be "unfortunate," but she noted "the driveway is something that really needs to happen."

James Waters, the RTM representative on the GHS Natatorium Committee, said "the urgency here is real" when it comes to building a new pool facility.

"We are in a race to get this built before the current pool expires," Waters said during the public comment portion of the school board meeting.

"That might happen tomorrow, or in three years, but it won't be much longer than that. If we're slow to act, this becomes a more costly problem and it will have a negative impact across town."

Waters, who is chair of the RTM Budget Overview Committee and the Old Greenwich School Building Committee, said the project could be ripe for private donations to help bring down the cost, and that a public/private partnership should be "a core part" of the project.

The committee used a scorecard matrix to rank potential options and examined project cost and impact to the school, including to utilities, parking and to the GHS courtyard, Waters noted, saying the educational specifications "set a new standard for projects like this."

"The concept in the ed. specs is no frills and certainly not the most expensive choice, yet it will be a facility for the town to be proud of," Waters added.

Giorgio Michailides, a senior swimmer at GHS, said the school is "far behind" when it comes to other pool facilities in the area.

"In short, the facility doesn't meet today's safety codes, competitive guidelines, or the basic expectations placed on a program of our caliber," he said during public comment.

GHS boys swimming coach, Terry Lowe, spoke on behalf of his fellow boys and girls swimming, diving and water polo coaches.

"Currently, the pool has already been closed for our divers due to the building's failure to meet state standards for ceiling heights for a 1 meter diving board. The nearly 60-year-old facility fails to meet an array of today's health, safety and competitive standards," Lowe said. "Moreover, it has been judged to be in its final years. It is our greatest hope to enter a new facility without interruption to the school's most successful boys and girls athletic teams."

Lowe urged the school board to support the project going forward.

"Please put this project in the express lane to guarantee the continuity of these programs that are at the heart of what makes Greenwich such a great aquatics community," he said.

Superintendent of GPS Dr. Toni Jones explained that once the Board of Education approves the educational specifications for the project, the school board would request the formation of a building committee after which the building process can start, similar to other school building projects over the years.

More information on the educational specifications can be viewed here. You can also watch the full Nov. 20 Board of Education business meeting on YouTube.