Burlington, VT – The Burlington School Board okayed the $204 million final price tag for a new Burlington High School, millions more than what was originally anticipated

In 2022, Burlington voters overwhelmingly approved a $165 million bond to fund the construction of the school. At the time, the total price of the project was estimated at around $190 million.

The discovery this summer of additional asbestos contamination and updated contingency numbers increased the cost. Whiting Turner, the project’s construction manager sent the board a final guaranteed price of the construction phase totaling nearly $162 million.

The total project total is now around $204 million. The district says with additional state and federal secured funding there is enough money without asking Burlington taxpayers to pay more.

The project is now moving from demolition of the old school and into the actual construction phase. The district says in the worst-case scenario, the project would be complete no later than April, 2026 with the school ready for the start of the 2026/27 school year.