As details for a groundbreaking ceremony for the new middle-high school come together, plans are already in place to make sure everything goes smoothly once construction starts in May for the new building at 1225 Aquidneck Ave.
PLANS IN PLACE TO MINIMIZE DISRUPTIONS
FROM NEW MIDDLE-HIGH SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION
MIDDLETOWN, RI (MARCH 12, 2025) – A groundbreaking ceremony for the new Middletown Middle and Middletown High School building is right around the corner.
And with that, there will be construction and increased activity at 1225 Aquidneck Ave., often when school is in session and the community goes about its normal business.
But fear not, there are detailed and well scripted plans in place now to minimize disruptions to school and sporting activities — and the surrounding neighborhoods — while maintaining the integrity of the August 2027 opening for the new building.
Construction is expected to start in mid- to late-May. In general, construction is expected to take place weekdays from 7 am-4 pm, with work on Saturdays on an as needed basis.
Project managers said no school or related traffic patterns will be altered during construction. Workers will access the construction site from Aquidneck Avenue only via the former Starlight Drive-In driveway.
“Going through a similar project in Cranston, it’s important that we do everything we can to communicate as much as possible so people know what’s happening and what to expect,” Shared Facilities Director Ed Collins said. “This is an exciting project and there are a lot of moving parts and we’re working hard to make sure there’s clear coordination between everyone so it goes smoothly.”
Justin Bernard, senior project manager for Colliers Project Leaders, said there should be no interruptions to the day-to-day operations at Gaudet Middle School and the Gaudet Learning Academy, with one caveat. That’s unless the area where construction was taking place was used by physical education classes.
Otherwise, he said there will be no impacts to regular school business. Colliers — of Providence — serves as the lead of the project. Gilbane — also of Providence — is the construction manager.
Construction work will be focused on the multipurpose field immediately north of Gaudet. That space has generally been used for lacrosse and soccer practices and games.
Bernard said the varsity baseball field, turf football stadium as well as the basketball and tennis courts will not be affected by the construction work.
Collins noted like with any construction project big or small, there might be some minor refinements and small adjustments as the plans come together and construction starts. With that in mind, he asked everyone using or near the Gaudet property to be patient and understanding as everything evolved.
School Athletic Director Scott Rollins said he was working closely with school and town staff to make sure every sports team that uses the Gaudet athletic complex will be fully accommodated during the project.
In the fall, the middle school soccer teams used the multipurpose fields along with the high school soccer teams. In the spring, lacrosse and junior varsity baseball squads also used the space where construction will be taking place.
As a result, the school and town have plans in place to put other fields into use temporarily that haven’t seen as much use historically for school related sports and activities.
Town Operations & Facility Manager Will Cronin said this includes the West Main Road Recreational Complex — with Pottsy Field — at 665 West Main Road, Linden Park at 141 West Main Road, the front fields at Middletown High School at 130 Valley Road as well as the Wyatt Road Soccer Complex at 520 Wyatt Road, if needed.
Cronin said historically, the West Main Road Recreational Complex remains the best option for now while construction was happening because it gets used so infrequently. He said there hasn't been a regular league softball game on the property since August 2017. And his data shows that area gets used a total of 102 nights a year by youth football, Newport Rugby and flag football.
“Over the past several months, we’ve definitely been in conversations about the potential for increased usage of our fields and open spaces due to the school construction project,” Cronin said. “Everyone is definitely on the same page and working towards a common goal here to minimize any disruptions and to make this go smoothy.”
During his bi-weekly report to the Town Council on the new middle-high school, Town Administrator Shawn J. Brown said all aspects of the project remain “on time and on budget,” with an opening in time for the start of the 2027-2028 school year.
Bernard said the existing Gaudet Middle School and Gaudet Learning Academy will be razed starting in the summer of 2027. That will create space for new athletic fields, which he said will be ready to use in the spring or summer of 2028.
Traffic in the existing Gaudet lots on both the Aquidneck Avenue and Turner Road sides of the building will be limited during the summer of 2027 after school gets out, Bernard said. That’s due to lot resurfacing, lighting and other related site work.
Anyone with questions, concerns or looking for additional information is asked to visit https://mdl.town/SBC online.
Document Link: https://mdl.town/NYCU-Plan
About Middletown
The Town of Middletown is a vibrant municipality located on Aquidneck Island, known for its scenic beauty, historic landmarks, diverse economy and strong sense of community. For more information about all we have to offer, visit MiddletownRI.gov online.
Media Contact
Matt Sheley
Public Affairs Officer
401-842-6543
msheley@middletownri.com