Amherst moves Wildwood School back to town control as DPW and zoning plans advance

Amherst is preparing to take Wildwood Elementary School back from the school system on Sept. 1, 2026, while town officials advance plans for a new Department of Public Works facility and continue work on the Hampshire Campus Zoning Study.

The Amherst School Committee voted to return Wildwood to the town, according to the town manager’s July 10 report. The transfer will create a new municipal decision about how the building is used after it comes under town control.

Wildwood’s next chapter

The town manager’s report did not identify a future program, renovation cost or operating plan for Wildwood. Those decisions will determine how the property fits into Amherst’s municipal facilities and future spending priorities.

The transfer is one of several town actions involving public buildings and long-term capital planning. The same report said Amherst had begun negotiations with Weston & Sampson, the top-ranked design firm, for design work on a new Department of Public Works facility.

The negotiations mark an early step toward a new DPW facility. The final design, project cost and construction schedule have not been announced. The project could eventually affect how the town provides public works services and how it plans future capital spending.

Zoning study continues

Amherst held a virtual public information session on the Hampshire Campus Zoning Study on July 21. The town said the project website would be updated with public forums, resources and opportunities for residents to submit questions and ideas.

The study remains an active planning process, not an adopted zoning change. Its public sessions give residents a channel to follow the work and participate as the town develops the study.

The July 10 manager’s report also identified Community Homes construction activity in North Amherst, adding to the set of development and facility projects moving through town discussions.

Budget and upcoming targets

Amherst’s approved FY2027 budget was reported at approximately $107.1 million. The Town Council increased the elementary-school budget by $120,000 to restore math and reading interventionists.

The town’s 2026 manager goals include a timeline for fire-station schematic designs by Oct. 1, 2026. The goals also call for an interim traffic and public-safety plan for the new elementary school.

Taken together, the Wildwood transfer, DPW design negotiations, fire-station planning, school safety work and zoning study point to a busy period for Amherst’s municipal decision-making. The next known dates are the Sept. 1 Wildwood transfer and the Oct. 1 target for the fire-station schematic-design timeline.