MONROE — After 42 years in its schoolhouse turned office building, Monroe School District administrators could be moving across town.
The school board is considering renting property across from the Evergreen State Fairgrounds for administrative offices. Discussion will start at Monday’s board meeting, with a decision expected Sept. 26.
“The current district office is in need of many repairs and maintaining a building in this condition is becoming more and more difficult,” district spokeswoman Tamara Krache said in an email Friday.
The new building, operated by Lake Stevens-based Natural 9 Holdings, is a former medical office on 179th Avenue SE. It has more than 31,000 square feet, which is more than the district needs. Extra space could be subleased or house district programs.
“If we enter into the lease agreement, we would evaluate all district programs to determine if moving to a new location would benefit any of them,” Krache said.
Looking for subleasers would require a public bidding process among potential tenants. But, in the agreement, Everett Community College is the only organization that could move in without prior approval from Natural 9 Holdings.
The district would pay about $57,000 a month for the first three years of the 20-year lease.
During the first seven years of the agreement, the board could opt to buy the land for $11 million. From year seven to 10, the price is $10.5 million.
The current district office on East Fremont Street and Ferry Avenue is more than 100 years old. Before housing administrators, it served as a school.
Krache said the building will likely be sold if the board decides to move.
Joey Thompson: 425-339-3449; jthompson@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @byjoeythompson.
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