New London - City Councilors, Board of Education members and Mayor Daryl Justin Finizio toured New London High School Saturday, getting a look at the 40-year-old building's many structural, cosmetic and maintenance problems as they assess whether the city should build a new school or renovate the existing structure.

"The problems you're seeing in this building are not just age. It's partly lack of maintenance," Superintendent Nicholas Fischer told the group, as they gathered in a special needs classroom where a heating system malfuction recently brought the room temperature into the 50s. Windows in the room that allow wind and rain to leak in - found throughout the school - are covered with sheets of plastic and tape.

The tour was led by Tim McDuff, chief of operations for the school system, and Michael Sorano, architect with Friar Associates, the firm hired to assess the building's condition and develop alternative repair and new construction plans.

City and school officials are trying to determine the best option, given state reimbursement rates for school projects and the needs of the building. According to preliminary estimates, after reimbursements, making minimum repairs and handicapped accessible upgrades would cost the city about $20 million. A renovate-as-new project would cost the city about $28 million, after reimbursements, while building a new school, after reimbursements, would cost the city about $32 million. The total cost for a new school is estmated at $87 million.

After the tour, Mayor Finizio said he is convinced that city and school officials need to start working to reach a concensus.

"The condition of the school is deplorable," he said. "We obviously need to act and act soon. We need to make a decision shortly on how to proceed. We want to be doing a project within the next two years."

j.benson@theday.com