Waltham North may come down by year’s end

Waltham North School could be torn down by the end of the year.

Waltham Elementary Superintendent Kristi Eager reported Wednesday the district received a wide range of bids to tear down the vacant school on North 33rd Road. Bids range from $159,000 to $387,000, subject to a compliance review by BLDD, the district’s architecture firm.

Eager told the school board she’d be “beyond thrilled” if the successful bid comes in below $200,000.

“I’ll keep you informed as to what I find out next,” Eager said.

The board scheduled a special board meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 26, to consider a winning bid.

As previously reported, Waltham’s new school rendered Waltham North and South obsolete. Waltham South has been sold; Utica bought the school and is repurposing it into a municipal complex to be opened later.

Waltham North is being razed so the cleared parcel can be sold.

In other matters, the board:

• Learned the first-quarter financials were in good shape. “Our numbers are right where they need to be,” Eager said.
• Discussed the hiring of custodians. The school is new but it’s also big (nearly 35,000 square feet) and requires more upkeep than anticipated.
• Learned free and reduced lunches have risen more than 20%.
• Meets Nov. 17 in the commons area rather than the gymnasium