One-by-one look at what will happen to each building South Bend school board votes to close

SOUTH BEND — As South Bend school board members consider proposals to redistrict and close multiple schools, consultants are also advising what to do next with buildings left empty.

State law, lease agreements and past building uses create different contexts for each school as the district looks to offload its unused space and direct money back into the classroom.

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Some schools could be reused for other purposes while others could be razed or sold, based on building condition.

Consultants say the district currently owns about half a dozen buildings that are not being used for traditional classroom instruction and that could be sold or repurposed. If the school board votes later this month to close schools, as many as two more buildings — Clay and Warren — could be added to that list.

Can South Bend sell its closing schools?

State law largely drives the early stages of school sales.

In Indiana, public school buildings used for classroom instruction must be offered to interested charter schools or postsecondary institutions, like colleges and universities, for $1 before they can be sold to anyone else at market value.

If the board votes this spring to close a school, that building must be listed with the state for 30 days before the district considers other means of selling the property.

Though the law is used infrequently, South Bend navigated the sale of its now-closed Tarkington Elementary School to one of two interested charter networks in 2021.

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Consultants say the district currently has a couple buildings that are $1 law eligible, including Clay and Warren, should the board vote to close them, and Hamilton, which is currently being used for storage.

But, the $1 law has changed multiple times over the years and includes carve outs for certain reuses or lease agreements entered before 2019.

If a district wanted to demolish an existing school and build a new one in its place, for example, administrators would be allowed to do so without offering the structure to a charter school first.

South Bend has multiple lease or similar other agreements active that district leaders say exempt their buildings from the $1 law.

Law guiding consolidation could change

Administrators have been critical of the law and the uncertainties they say it brings to long-term planning. This all comes as state lawmakers are simultaneously considering proposals to alter or do altogether away with the legislation.

Sen. Linda Rogers of Granger brought forward a bill this spring that would make certain active school buildings operating at less than 60% capacity $1 law eligible without a local school board’s decision to close the building. That legislation, if passed, would’ve applied to three of South Bend’s four open high schools. Last week, however, a sweeping amendment of that bill reversed course and proposed doing away with the $1 law altogether over the next two years.

Education legislation: Could Indiana's controversial $1 law go away?

With about a month left in Indiana’s legislative session, state lawmakers’ final decision over what to do with the $1 law could remain unknown when South Bend board members look to vote on school consolidation proposals on April 17.

"We recognize we have to create a path forward and coexist with charters, and we are dedicated to doing that," South Bend Assistant Superintendent Kareemah Fowler said in testimony at the Indiana Statehouse last week, adding "It's become more and more difficult as the goal posts continue to change."

So, what do consultants recommend South Bend do with some of its buildings not being used as traditional schools? Here’s a look at what we know about each building.

Brown

When did it close? The former Brown Intermediate Center was closed as a part of the district’s Focus 2018 restructuring.

What’s it used for now? After closing, part of Brown was leased to the St. Joseph Public Library system’s main branch as it renovated its downtown center. The school district has continued to use the building for community events and tutoring since its closure as a middle school.

What’s being proposed? The district finalized a $2.8 million deal this winter to sell its downtown administration building to the city and move its headquarters in summer 2024 to the Brown building. Renovations at the former middle school are expected to cost $2.3 million.

Clay High School

When did it close? Consultants propose closing Clay in summer 2024. School board members are expected to vote on this recommendation during their April 17 meeting.

What’s it used for now? Clay houses the district’s fine arts magnet program as well as other general high school studies and an advanced placement capstone.

What’s being proposed? Administrators have offered no definitive statements about what they’d like to do next with the building. Clay is $1 law eligible, meaning the district must first offer the building to interested charter schools before pursuing other buyers. Consultants say it would cost $16.2 million to keep the school open over the next five years.

Eggleston

When did it close? Eggleston, then-home to the district’s Rise Up Academy alternative school, was closed with Focus 2018.

What’s it used for now? Eggleston is not being used for any public facing purposes. Its Rise Up program moved to the old Perley school during Focus 2018.

What’s being proposed? Consultants have recommended razing the building.

Greene

When did it close? Greene Intermediate Center closed during Focus 2018.

What’s it used for now? The district entered a lease with The History Museum in 2021 through this summer to use space in the closed school for storage.

What’s being proposed? As a part of the district’s recent decision to disannex Greene Township to John Glenn schools, South Bend has offered to sell the Greene Intermediate building — the district’s only property in the township — to its neighboring district. John Glenn must provide notice of their intent to buy the building for its appraisal by June 2024. If John Glenn is not interested in the former school, consultants recommend razing the building.

Hamilton

When did it close? Hamilton closed in 2019 following the district’s Focus 2018 restructuring.

What’s it used for now? Initially, after closing, the building was leased to the Hebrew Day School which later, under the same lease agreement, moved into the district’s closed Hay Elementary school. The building is now being used for storage.

What’s being proposed? The Hamilton building is eligible to be sold to a charter for $1 and its use was challenged last year with the Indiana attorney general’s office. Though $1 law eligible, consultants have suggested offering land to the city for a park.

Hay

When did it close? Hay closed in 2021 at the same time as Tarkington Elementary, which was bought for $1 by the soon-to-open Paramount charter school.

What’s it used for now? The Hebrew Day School is currently leasing Hay.

What’s being proposed? Consultants say the district is in negotiations with the Hebrew Day School for a possible purchase of the building.

Old Marquette

When did it close? The Old Marquette building, which sits just in front of the district’s active Marquette Montessori Academy, closed in 2011 after the corporation finished construction at its new academy next door.

What’s it used for now? In 2007, when the district opted to build a new elementary on the site, their plan included demolition of the old building. But, over the years, preservationists blocked demolition attempts, seeking a series of local and national historic designations.

What’s being proposed? The school district gave Indiana Landmarks permission in 2021 to explore reuse of the building. However, corporation leaders say they were not able to secure funding to renovate the 1930s building, constructed as a part of Franklin Roosevelt’s Works Progress Administration. Consultants are now recommending the building be razed to make way for enhancements to the active Marquette program.

Perley

When did it close? Perley Fine Arts Academy closed in the shuffle of Focus 2018. Rise Up Academy was moved to Perley from the Eggleston building during the 2018 consolidation.

What’s it used for now? The district currently offers its alternative high school credit recovery program, Rise Up Academy, from the Perley building.

What’s being proposed? Consultants have recommended moving the Rise Up program to the Kennedy building after students in that school are relocated to LaSalle. Consultants say the Perley building could then be used for pre-kindergarten education or to house other income-generating community partnerships.

Studebaker

When did it close? Studebaker, which sits just northeast of Riley High School, is not closed, yet. Consultants have made several recommendations for the building that depend on how the school board votes on other proposals.

What’s it used for now? Studebaker is still actively used as a Special Needs and Abilities, or SNAP, preschool.

What’s being proposed? If board members vote to close Clay, consultants suggest Studebaker could be closed, razed and its space used for an adaptive playground or to expand the Riley campus, where Clay students are likely to be relocated in a high school consolidation.

Warren

When did it close? Consultants propose the district close Warren in summer 2024. The school board is expected to vote on this recommendation in its April 17 meeting.

What’s it used for now? Warren is one of four elementary schools in the South Bend Empowerment Zone, a special subset of schools in the district created as a five-year intervention to help boost academics in multiple schools that were, at the time, on the cusp of state takeover.

What’s being proposed? Warren is $1 law eligible. Consultants and administrators have not expressed a specific interest in what to do with the school, saying only that the building would be vacated and disposition would begin in 2024 should trustees vote to close the school. There are about 18 months left in the original five-year plan for Empowerment Zone schools. Administrative leaders have not yet provided a definitive picture of what the future of the Zone structure looks like.

Email South Bend Tribune education reporter Carley Lanich at clanich@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter:@carleylanich.

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: 1-by-1 look at what may come of each school building South Bend closes