Bellingham Public Schools intends to sell its historic district office building, pending a school board vote on Wednesday night, April 17.
District administrators vacated the district office on Dupont Street in January following flooding damage after extreme cold weather resulted in burst pipes in the building. But the district was planning to relocate, and has just moved into its new district office on Barkley Boulevard.
The old district office is now only used for storage and is no longer required for school purposes, according to the school board resolution.
The building opened in 1908 as Roeder Elementary School, according to a district FAQ. It became administrative offices in the 1970s. The building is not ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) accessible, is not seismic retrofitted and has not received any major upgrades in 100 years.
Original plans were to renovate the district office, but the district ended up purchasing the Barkley property instead. The district estimated it will save $1 million by avoiding temporary relocation and renovation costs, according to the FAQ. Construction of the new district office at 1985 Barkley Blvd. was funded by 2013 and 2022 bonds.
Dana Smith, assistant director of communications, said the district had considered using the old district office property for other district needs but decided against it due to seismic safety and ADA access problems.
An added complication is the damage done to the district office earlier this year. In January, extreme cold weather burst fire sprinkler pipes in the offices, forcing district officials to relocate into other district buildings until the new building on Barkley Boulevard was open.
The school board’s meeting room ceiling collapsed, letting water and insulation into the boardroom.
Smith said the damage did not change their plans to sell, as those plans were in motion before the flooding.
Since the damage, Smith said the district has worked with multiple vendors to repair damage, and clean and dry out the building. Those repairs were covered by the district’s insurance.
“Whether or not the flooding and subsequent repair work will affect the sale price remains to be seen; we might anticipate the purchase amount to be less, but also anticipate insurance dollars to help even that out,” Smith said in an emailed statement. “Given the complexities of the real estate market, we may never fully know the overall financial impact of January’s flooding.”
The school board will vote on the resolution at its meeting at 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 17.
Charlotte Alden is CDN’s general assignment/enterprise reporter; reach her at charlottealden@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 123.
