Davidson IB Middle School on South Street. (David Boraks/DavidsonNews.net)

Davidson town officials say they are meeting with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools’ officials to see if there’s a way for the town to take over the Davidson IB Middle School building on South Street once the school closes at the end of this school year.

If town takes over the building, next question is: What should the site be? Take our poll below

The Davidson IB building, which has been a school since the 1940s, is among 9 facilities CMS is offering for lease after schools that will or could be closed as part of budget cuts in the 2011-12 school year. Davidson IB is closing, and its international baccalaureate program is moving to Alexander Middle School in Huntersville.

The school system issued a press release Friday announcing its plans to seek tenants for vacant buildings. The list includes a half-dozen schools slated for closing, as well as pre-K sites that could close.

OTHER BIDDERS?

As CMS opens bidding for the IB school, however, Davidson may not be alone. Local officials and real estate industry sources say area charter or private schools also are interested, as is the Davidson United Methodist Church.

CMS said it will begin accepting bids on March 4, and plans information sessions for potential bidders on Tuesday and Thursday, March 1 and 3.

“We hope these schools will continue to be used by the community, even though they are no longer housing students,” Mike Raible, the system’s Executive Director of Planning and Project Management, said in the press release Friday. “The money we expect to receive from the leases may not be substantial – it certainly won’t solve our budget shortfalls. But the leasing process will allow the buildings to continue to be used as a community resource. It’s an appropriate use for former public schools.”

At one point, CMS officials suggested the Davidson IB building could be torn down. But Dennis LaCaria, who oversees Facilities Planning & Real Estate for CMS, said the system was talking first with “community partners” as it contemplates the building’s future.

“The first discussions regarding reuse or disposition of the property would clearly be with our community partners, which would most definitely include the Town of Davidson,” Mr. Lacaria said in a statement provided to DavidsonNews.net. “In addition, CMS is a member of the Joint Use Task Force, which necessitates the offering of the property to county departments and agencies before it could be sold. We understand the historic nature of the property and its value to the community, regardless of programming.”

ADA JENKINS A MODEL?

John Woods

Mayor John Woods said this week he hopes the town can negotiate a lease for the building, where he once attended elementary school. There’s also a plaque outside the building in honor of his father, Dr. James Woods, who operated his medical office in a home on the street.

“The town staff has met with CMS staff several times,” Mayor Woods said. The town envisions an arrangement like the one at the Ada Jenkins Center, on Gamble Street. Under that deal, the town has accepted responsibility for the building’s upkeep, an in turn leased it to the Ada Jenkins Center, which operates a regional community services center there.

“We would hope that we could create a similar type of relationship to what we have with CMS over at the Ada Jenkins Center, where we would lease that for as long a term as possible, administratively speaking,” Mayor Woods said. “That would give us the freedom to do things there that would allow us, maybe in the long run, to make some physical or capital improvements there.”

Town officials are reviewing architectural and technical data about the aging school as they work on an agreement, Mayor Woods said.

WHAT WOULD TOWN USE IT FOR?

Mayor Woods said one of the questions town officials are facing is how the town might use the building.

Several years ago, Davidson and the school system developed a joint-use plan under which the building was to be renovated and expanded. That $7 million proposal envisioned construction of a gymnasium and other additions that would allow the school also to be used as a community recreation center.

Voters approved both school and parks & recreation bonds to help pay for the project. The town was prepared to commit funds, and other donors, including Davidson United Methodist Church, offered funds. But that plan died with the economic downturn and collapse of the bond market.

Mayor Woods said he’d like to get feedback from residents on potential uses. “We have talked about an idea of how to engage the public to get a list of potential uses and desires for that facility as a (community center) because of its central location, and its recognition as a school,” he said.

RELATED COVERAGE

See all related coverage of the Davidson IB school on DavidsonNews.net, CLICK HERE>

CMS press release

CMS will lease some closed schools

Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools press release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Feb. 25, 2011 – CMS will lease some of the schools that are being closed for the 2011-2012 school year, using a bidding process to select organizations to lease the buildings. The bidding will open March 4 and CMS will hold meetings on March 1 and March 3 to offer information and answer potential bidders’ questions.

“We hope these schools will continue to be used by the community, even though they are no longer housing students,” said Mike Raible, Executive Director of Planning and Project Management for CMS. “The money we expect to receive from the leases may not be substantial – it certainly won’t solve our budget shortfalls. But the leasing process will allow the buildings to continue to be used as a community resource. It’s an appropriate use for former public schools.”
Leaseholders will be responsible for all maintenance and operations of the buildings they lease. Final approval of each lease must be given by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education.

CMS expects to close 11 school buildings for the 2011-2012 year as part of wide-ranging changes made after a comprehensive district review last fall. The closings are among changes at more than 60 of the district’s schools that are intended to streamline district operations and reduce operating costs.
The changes include consolidating students and programs at five schools; relocating two programs; expanding eight schools to pre-kindergarten through eighth grade and one to K-12; expanding one school to grades six through 12; adjusting boundaries for 13 schools; providing targeted assistance to nearly 30 schools and creating two new home schools and two new magnet programs.

More information about the bidding process will be provided at the March meetings. The first meeting will be Tuesday, March 1 at 11:30 a.m. in Room 280 of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center. The second meeting will be March 3 at 5:30 in Room CH-14 of the government center.

The buildings expected to be available for leasing are Davidson IB, Midwood High, Pawtuckett Elementary, Smith Language Academy, Amay James Pre-K, and Wilson Middle.

Double Oaks Pre-K, Plaza Road Pre-K and Tryon Hills Pre-K centers are on the list of buildings for lease as well to give potential Pre-K providers ample time to prepare should the Board of Education be unable to continue operating the centers.

Extensions of existing CMS programs will be given first consideration in the bidding process. Additional consideration will be given to those bidders who plan to use the facility for educational and/or community use. All proposals will be submitted online.

Specific terms of each lease will be negotiated upon selection of a proposal. The online application can be found at this link starting March 4. Please email any questions or concerns about the selection process to realestate@cms.k12.nc.us .

Comments Disabled To "What will happen to Davidson IB’s building?"

#1 Comment By Robert Maier On February 26, 2011 @ 6:15 pm