RPS Approves Lease Transfer for PHSSA
RTD is reporting on the 5-4 vote to approve the transfer the building lease to Patrick Henry, LLC. The lease transfer will allow Patrick Henry School of Science and Arts to use approximately $300,000 worth Historical Tax Credits in the renovations of the Patrick Henry building on Semmes. Despite a thorough briefing in the working session some board members continued to get confused on the facts, including the amount of the Historical Tax Credits. RPS board members stressed their concern about funding but credited the school with a good job of establishing themselves. I’m betting that Chris Dovi writer for Richmond Magazine.com is working on an update and I’ll post his summary of events when it goes live.
The next step for Patrick Henry will be to get the RPS Board to sign the contract for the architect. Once the contract is signed the school will move forward with finalizing a general contractor. These delays may mean that the school will be forced to use a temporary location at least for part of the next school year. A plan is being developed by PHSSA in case this needs to happen.
A new temporary location for next year’s increased enrollment (200+) could be a challenge, but it could also be incredibly beneficial. Let’s start knocking on the doors of companies that would be interested in the concept of an “instant school”. Take an out of use building (like a large retail store or office building) and let a company like Ikea Work carve out classrooms, educational areas, experimental stations, etc. With as many empty buildings as there are in this neck of the woods, there should be at least a handful that would be ripe for the situation. We all know that RPS can’t afford to patch the holes in the roofs of their own buildings, so we should go corporate to get the ‘goods’ for next year.
Although I strong support PHSSA, I don’t think the public school systems should own *any* buildings. The effort (fiscal, physical, psychological) required to maintain buildings detracts from the primary purpose of any school district. The physical structures should be leased as needed.
I believe PHSSA’s use of the WHBC building demonstrates this.
@pete – after this fiasco I tend to agree with you as it has become obvious the school board and administrators aren’t equipped for real estate development, management, and decision making. However, for the long term use of their buildings, leasing could increase costs if not properly negotiated.
I do not think the mismanagement by RPS is enough justification for advocating schools to be leased versus owned. Many other school systems throughout VA as well as the nation are maintaining their infrastructure fine. Only thing you will do is line someone else’s pockets with very limited school funds.
Root out the RPS problem employees and boot the school board. After all, they are the ones trying to keep PHSSA from succeeding.