Community Will Vote In Special Election Next Month For $317M Northeast Metro Tech School

WAKEFIELD, MA — Voters in multiple communities will have their say on the construction of a new $317 million technical school later next month.

The Northeast Metro Tech school project will go to ballots Jan. 25, when ballots can be cast from 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.

The proposed project has not generated much buzz in most of the school's 12 sending communities, but Chelsea and Saugus voted it to necessitate the special election. A majority of voters across the cities and towns must now decide whether the project moves forward.

The Wakefield school serves students in Wakefield, Melrose, Stoneham, Malden, Reading, Woburn, North Reading, Winchester, Chelsea, Revere, Saugus and Winthrop.

The new building will allow the school to increase its enrollment by 26 percent, from 1,270 to 1,600. That is expected to dramatically shorten the district's waitlist, which is about 400 students annually.

The current building has not had any significant renovations, additions or improvements since its construction in 1968.

The biggest issues facing Northeast Metro are overcrowding, an inability to accommodate IEPs, outdated facilities and programming and failing mechanical and electrical systems, according to the school.

The project is being partially funded by the Massachusetts School Building Authority, which helps support capital improvement projects. The MSBA will put up between $110 million to $140 million, with final costs still being finalized in the Schematic Design Report.

The new Northeast Metro would bring the school into ADA compliance and make it able to offer expanded programs and IEP accommodations. It would also include a new primary access road from Farm Street to help with traffic, outdoor learning, a new cafeteria, auditorium and gym and more.