Converting the former Labouré College campus into a Pre-K and kindergarten school would cost Milton between $42.5 million and $85.2 million, according to a new architectural study.

The School Building Committee published DLR Group's final test-fit report on Aug. 7, laying out three design options for the 4.77-acre property at 303 Adams St. The smallest option carries a total project cost of $42.5 million. The largest would run $85.2 million.

Those figures land ahead of the Monday, Oct. 19 Special Town Meeting, where voters face a two-thirds vote on whether to acquire the site for $11.75 million. The Select Board approved a purchase and sale agreement for the property on Sept. 22, as we reported Sept. 24. A Dec. 15 debt-exclusion ballot would follow if Town Meeting approves.

Three options, one campus

School Building Committee Chair Sean P. O'Rourke presented the findings to the Select Board on Aug. 3, according to the committee's presentation.

Option 1, a minor addition to the existing buildings, would create four general Pre-K classrooms, two special-education Pre-K classrooms, 10 general kindergarten classrooms and one special-education kindergarten classroom. Its estimated construction cost is $32.7 million, with a total project cost of $42.5 million.

Option 3, a three-level addition, would expand to nine general Pre-K classrooms, two special-education Pre-K rooms, 20 general kindergarten classrooms and two special-education kindergarten rooms. Construction is estimated at $65.5 million, with a total project cost of $85.2 million.

A mid-range Option 2 falls between the two. The committee's presentation and a separate cost estimate list different construction figures for that option, so the exact number could not be confirmed from available documents.

Cost estimate limits

A July 30 cost estimate prepared by PM&C LLC of Hingham for DLR Group pegs Option 1 at $613 per square foot across 53,394 gross square feet. The estimate assumes a July 2028 construction start.

It does not cover professional fees, furniture, technology, rock excavation or utility back charges. Those exclusions mean the final bill could climb.

The existing campus

The Labouré campus has three buildings. The Mansion, known as Building A, served as administration space. Building B holds offices, and Building C contains 12 classrooms of roughly 725 square feet each. The campus has no cafeteria, no gymnasium and minimal bathrooms in Building C.

Labouré College ceased academic operations in August 2026 after 135 years. Its nursing programs transitioned to Curry College under an agreement announced in February 2026.

What voters face

The Town Meeting warrant includes two Labouré-related articles. Article 6 asks for the $11.75 million acquisition. Article 7 would fund the School Building Committee to study the Labouré option further and compare it to a Gile Road alternative. Warrant Committee Chair Jay Fundling recommends approval of both articles.

The town's official FAQ states a Pre-K/K program is feasible on the site and that the cost is anticipated to be less than an alternative middle school project. No final decision on which design option to pursue has been made.

For the average Milton single-family homeowner, the acquisition alone would add roughly $130 per year to the tax bill, according to town estimates. That calculation assumes 20-year financing at 5% interest on the $11.75 million purchase price.

The Special Town Meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 19 at Milton High School Auditorium, 25 Gile Road.