East Lyme – The Elementary Facilities Design Steering Committee took its first look Thursday at proposed blueprints for planned renovations at Niantic Center School and a new Flanders Elementary School.

The committee and an architect are designing the layouts for a renovated and expanded Niantic Center School and a new Flanders Elementary School as a solution to the town's three aging elementary school facilities after receiving the go-ahead from the Board of Education in December.

The preliminary blueprints, presented Thursday by W. Albert Jacunski of Jacunski Humes Architects, incorporate educational specifications developed by the committee.

The proposal to move to two elementary schools would mean closing the Lillie B. Haynes school and returning the property to the town. The proposal also would require approval from the Board of Selectmen, Board of Finance and a town referendum.

While the board originally anticipated holding a referendum this spring and applying for state reimbursement this year, the committee decided last month the project will require more time.

Under the preliminary blueprints, the Niantic Center School would be about 74,871 square feet, and the Flanders Elementary School would be 77,123 square feet. Most classrooms would be 900 square feet, while kindergarten and pre-kindergarten classrooms would be slightly larger at 1,100 square feet.

The blueprints show the new Flanders Elementary School as designed with a large first floor and a narrower second floor in the center of the building.

The first floor would hold pre-kindergarten and kindergarten classrooms, along with first- and second-grade classrooms, a cafeteria, and a gymnasium, among other rooms. The upper floor includes third- and fourth-grade classrooms, a global language room and project rooms.

The plans for Niantic Center School feature an addition to the footprint of the existing building, which would be fully renovated. Kindergarten and first grades would be housed on the lower level, while second, third and fourth grades would be held on the upper level.

The committee discussed tweaks to the preliminary plans on Thursday and will schedule a time to review them in greater detail.

 - Kimberly Drelich