FCPS School Board approves $125 million headquarters building (Fairfax: credit card, home)

[Fern435]

The bond is arranged through the Economic Development Authority, but the bond *payments* still come from the school budget. The assumption is that the bond payments over time will be less than the equivalent lease payments, if savings from 18 eliminated positions are also considered.

What is not mentioned is the potential maintenance costs in owning a building this size. The current lease payments supposedly include these maintenance costs for the existing offices.

Given the fact that FCPS has not had a strong record of maintaining their own buildings, the decision to purchase could have a large maintenance price tag in the future. They seem to be taking an optimistic approach that by that time, the economy and local real estate market will have picked up and that homeowners can fork over more money to cover all costs.

And yes, my government-budget savvy husband helped me on this one!

My answer: They can use the moldy trailers for offices.

[lchoro]

That building at 8111 Gatehouse Rd is only being valued at $42 million by the county.

Fairfax County Public Schools

[car54]

Government-budget savvy husbands don't work in moldy trailers....and neither should the highly educated and talented professionals that run FCPS. I have spoken to Dr. Dale on a number of occasions. He is an impressive individual whom I believe would have succeeded in any field of endeavor. No, sorry ma'am, we're NOT putting him in a moldy trailer!

Trailers or not, you can do much, much worse than FCPS.

BTW, the "trailers" at my school (Chantilly High) are brand new and quite nice....they are actually modular buildings made up of a number of trailers put together. Inside, they are as nice or nicer than the classrooms in the main building.

Everybody loves to denigrate FCPS....I sincerely hope they one day end up in one of the many truly dismal school systems in this country.

[Fern435]

I never said there weren't nice trailers at some schools. Unfortunately, the one they just dropped off at my high school student's class at TJ smells very moldy (like it has had water damage). I'm sure Langley, Chantilly, Vienna and Oakton all have very clean trailers.

[tgbwc]

I am looking at the Purchase vs. Build Analysis report. It compares the purchase of the existing BPG building in lieu of building a new structure on a pad site next to the current Gatehouse I building to serve as the 2nd admin. center. The purchase of the existing building provides more sq. ft, allows for greater consolidation which could result in sale opportunities of other properties, and allows them to close the Leis, Lacey, Wilton Woods, and Sprague Centers sooner. These buildings are more expensive to maintain and are less energy efficient.

Not all of the buildings to be vacated are owned by FCPS. They lease 4 buildings with about 38,000sq. ft. of space. Three buildings will be transferred to Fairfax County.

[Yankeesfan]

FCPS used to have three "areas" with three "area superintendents." They decided to decentralize and created what, eight or nine "clusters," each with a separate administrative staff. Now they want to recentralize...but I'm sure without giving up any administrative staff, except for the paltry 18 through attrition.

[Fern435]

Originally Posted by tgbwc

I am looking at the Purchase vs. Build Analysis report. It compares the purchase of the existing BPG building in lieu of building a new structure on a pad site next to the current Gatehouse I building to serve as the 2nd admin. center. The purchase of the existing building provides more sq. ft, allows for greater consolidation which could result in sale opportunities of other properties, and allows them to close the Leis, Lacey, Wilton Woods, and Sprague Centers sooner. These buildings are more expensive to maintain and are less energy efficient.

Not all of the buildings to be vacated are owned by FCPS. They lease 4 buildings with about 38,000sq. ft. of space. Three buildings will be transferred to Fairfax County.

Thank you for explaining this, tgbwc. You explain it much better than the Post and FCPS website.

Yankeesfan: Thank you for explaining the background of the administrative organization changes.

[car54]

Originally Posted by walkingnoelle

I never said there weren't nice trailers at some schools. Unfortunately, the one they just dropped off at my high school student's class at TJ smells very moldy (like it has had water damage). I'm sure Langley, Chantilly, Vienna and Oakton all have very clean trailers.

Well, don't worry, when the college admissions officers see TJHSST on your kid's application the very LAST thing they will think of is "moldy trailers". And they won't have to look up TJ to see what kind of schiool it is. They know it's the best in the USA. (Both my sons attended)

I must respectfully ask....why are you outraged at how OUR elected officials are spending OUR tax dollars? You don't have a dog in this fight!

Surely, you can find something to be outraged about in your home state!! I'd bet it's either Texas or Florida....and I know for a fact that neither is perfect.

[lchoro]

Originally Posted by tgbwc

This is also my understanding. The current real estate market allowed the opportunity to by the building and consolidate, which will save $. Money is not coming out of the classroom budget.

1. This is commercial property, not residential.
2. They also plan to sell several less attractive buildings they currently occupy.

Which is it? An attractive time to buy, or an attractive time to sell?

On one hand, they're spending 10 million dollars above the current county assessed value for that building. Have they locked themselves into paying too high a price because they've limited their search to the Gatehouse Complex? Perhaps they need to start over and look for another location to maximize the taxpayers' dollars.

[Fern435]

You raised an interesting point, lchoro.

car54, I'm not a Texas or Florida resident. Never have been. I have changed my residency every time we've moved, according to the state laws. Currently I'm a Virginia resident and voter.

I value people that make thoughtful decisions in running a school district. If this purchase is a sound decision, great. But it is far better for people to intelligently question these things, rather than just assume the school board can do no wrong.

TJ has a wonderful atmosphere, and the leadership there is exceptional. We do not take the opportunity for granted.