More Robbinsdale school district buildings might be going on the market

Robbinsdale schools recently sold one of its old elementary schools. There's a good chance that, as a result of recent school closings and reorganizations, the district will soon be selling more.

The district announced that it has sold the old Lincoln Elementary School, in Brooklyn Park, to PSA Building Co. for $3.1 million. PSA plans to then lease the building to Prairie Seeds Academy, a charter school.

While proceeds from the sale can't be used for basic operations costs, such as hiring teachers, it can provide the district with some needed cash to pay for expenses such as buying and updating computers, school buses and textbooks, and repairs such as replacing old roofs, floors and windows.

Robbinsdale schools spokesman Jeff Dehler said no decision has been made yet how to spend that money. One possibility is buying a warehouse for storing excess school supplies. District officials think that could be cheaper than their current leasing arrangement.

Another possibility would be to use part of the money to replace a 10-year-old reading series of books and other materials at the elementary level that need updating. That will cost more than $1 million, Dehler said. There are plenty of other needs on which the money could spent.

"Whether it's security systems, or additional cameras, or a continuous cycle of maintenance needs to be addressed," Dehler said.

Lincoln closed as an elementary school in 1995. The building was used to house community education programs and a private day-care program until 2007, when it was leased to Prairie Seeds Academy.

The closing of three more schools next year offers the district additional real estate sales opportunities.

In January, the district voted to close Sandburg Middle School, in Golden Valley; Pilgrim Lane Elementary, in Plymouth; and Sunny Hollow Elementary, in New Hope, in an effort to reduce underused school space and save the district $2 million. Because various district programs might be transferred to Sandburg, that makes the buildings where those programs are currently housed expendable.

Buildings that might be sold as a result of the transfer are the Cavanagh Learning Center, in Crystal, and Winnetka Learning Center, in New Hope. Both were formerly elementary schools. Pilgrim Lane could also be sold. So could the New Hope Learning Center, though that could pose difficulties since the nearby Cooper High School uses some of New Hope's facilities.

Several details have yet to be worked out in regard to prospective building sales, Dehler said. He said the district is putting together a committee of district staff and other community members to study the issue and make recommendations to the Robbinsdale school board by January 2010.

Norman Draper • 612-673-4547