PMA Consultants recommended as owner’s project manager for Peabody high school effort

The PVMHS School Building Committee on March 11 introduced PMA Consultants as the district’s recommended owner’s project manager (OPM) after the MSBA approved the selection and the committee made a unanimous recommendation.

Mayor Betancourt told the committee he was pleased with the finalists and the interviews, saying PMA “showed a lot of passion for this job, and that shown through to me during the interview as well as their expertise.” Beverly, who called the meeting to order, described the selection process that led to PMA’s nomination and said the MSBA’s OPM panel had questioned the firm and then sent a letter approving the selection.

Kevin Nigro, managing director of PMA Consultants, described the firm’s experience on MSBA projects and outlined how PMA will support the city through architect selection, schematic design and project controls. “We’re here to assist you and hit the ground running,” Nigro said, describing PMA’s baseline scheduling, third-party cost estimating and enhanced commissioning processes, as well as on-site 360-degree construction documentation the firm will provide for long-term maintenance records.

PMA presenters highlighted past work on occupied-site, phased renovations and vocational (CTE) program integration, emphasizing logistics and student safety during construction. The firm also described a community-outreach approach that includes multilingual materials, tax-impact tools and tours of comparable projects to help inform voters and neighbors.

On schedule, PMA told the committee the dates are draft and depend on MSBA review and site conditions. The team said it plans to submit the designer request-for-services (RFS) to the MSBA on May 1 and aims to have an architect on board in late July, subject to MSBA timing. Committee members and PMA stressed that ledge, soil and other site conditions on the occupied campus can alter timing and economics.

Mayor Betancourt also said the city has retained a law firm to evaluate whether a project labor agreement (PLA) would be appropriate; he said that review is expected to take “probably 3 to 6 months.”

Committee members discussed whether to retain and modernize the existing field house and auditorium rather than fully replacing them. PMA noted that rehabbing existing facilities can sometimes increase MSBA reimbursement percentages compared with building entirely new, which factored into the conversation about preserving a 900-seat auditorium and the field house.

Although contract papers were prepared, the mayor said he had not yet read the OPM contract and would not sign it that day. Beverly recorded a motion to adjourn (mover: Dave Gubash; second: Matt), and the committee closed the meeting.

What’s next: PMA and district staff will proceed with the designer RFS and establish a designer-selection subcommittee; the committee will receive further schedule details and MSBA reimbursement clarifications at future meetings.