Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter, a local or regional board of education may design and construct a central kitchen facility to provide food services to its public schools and shall be eligible for a school construction grant at the rate of reimbursement pursuant to subsection (a) of section 10-285a. Such project may also include costs for alterations, expansions or creation of existing or new kitchen facilities in its schools to accommodate the new method of centralized food service preparation. Such projects shall not be subject to the standard space specification requirements for school construction projects, but shall be of reasonable size and scope as approved by the Commissioner of Administrative Services.