Cedar Rapids school district to dispose of flooded facilities

CEDAR RAPIDS - Scott Olson, a registered architect and commercial real estate broker with Skogman Commercial Real Estate at the Penthouse, spoke to school board members Monday night regarding the Cedar Rapids school district's property damaged in the 2008 flood.

Board members will decide at the April 25 board meeting if Olson will be the district's representative during the disposal process.

Olson said the process will involve developing a criteria to evaluate the proposals the district receives. Money, he stressed, isn't the only consideration. Proposals also will be evaluated for their impact on the neighborhood.

“Each building offers several opportunities,” Olson said. “It will be interesting to see what comes out of the buildings because each one is different.”

The Educational Service Center, the ESC Annex, the carpenter/paint shop, the main warehouse and the food service warehouse were damaged by floodwaters. The district also owns the surface parking lot at 2

^nd

Ave. and 5

^th

St. SW.

The buildings have been cleaned but remain unused except for storage.

Several parties have contacted the district regarding the facilities. Superintendent Dave Benson has said the district is maintaining a file of individuals and/or corporations who have expressed an interest.

According to state law, the district isn't required to obtain appraisals or follow a sealed-bidding process when selling or otherwise disposing of the property. The only requirement is that the district hold a public hearing before the sale, lease or disposal of any district property.

Benson has said the district's intent is to provide the facilities for community reuse.

Money received from selling the facilities would go into the district's school infrastructure local-option sales tax fund.