REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL ON PURCHASE OF HISTORIC SCHOOL … · REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL I. LEGAL AUTHORITY FOR DISPOSAL OF SCHOOL DISTRICT PROPERTY VESTED IN BOARD OF EDUCATION By virtue

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALON PURCHASE OF

HISTORIC SCHOOL BUILDING

Garfield Elementary School300 North West 7th Street

Abilene, Kansas 67410

Listed on the National Historic Registerof Historic Places Site No. 041-0020-0226

U.S.D. No. 435 Board of Education213 North Broadway AvenueAbilene, Kansas 67410

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

I. LEGAL AUTHORITY FOR DISPOSAL OF SCHOOLDISTRICT PROPERTY VESTED IN BOARD OF EDUCATION

By virtue of the authority granted to it under Kansas law, the U.S.D. No. 435Board of Education [hereinafter "the Board"], after the successful completion andopening of the new 4th and 5th grade U.S.D. No. 435 District [hereinafter "District"]facility, Eisenhower Elementary School at 1101 North Vine Street, Abilene, Kansas,voted to extend to the public at large a Request for Proposal for the sale of GarfieldElementary School, located at 200 North West 7th Street, Abilene, Kansas. SeeK.S.A. §72-8201, et seq., Organization, Powers and Finances ofBoards ofEducation(allowing a unified school district to ". . . execute contracts and hold such real andpersonal property as it may acquire [and] . . . possess the usual powers of acorporation for public purposes.") Id.

Under the law, the Board has both title to and responsibility for the care andkeeping of all District school buildings and other real and personal propertybelonging to the District. K.S.A. §72-8212(d). When school facilities are no longerneeded, "[s]chool buildings and other school properties. . . may be disposed of by theboard upon the affirmative[,] recorded vote of not less than a majority of the membersof the board at a regular meeting." Id. The statute further provides the board maydispose of the property "in such manner and upon such terms and conditions asthe board deems to be in the best interest of the school district." Id. There are noprocedural impediments to the sale of the building, other than the execution of theconveyance by the President of the Board and the attestation of the Board Clerk.

Before making the decision to offer the building for sale, the Board studiedpossible current and future uses for Garfield Elementary School and having done so,determined that:

1. With the construction and opening of Eisenhower ElementarySchool in early 2016, Garfield Elementary School is currentlyvacant;

2. The continuing usage of the property is not required byU.S.D. No. 435 to maintain its operations or to meet Districtobligations;

Request for ProposalPage 1 of 9

3. The ongoing cost of maintaining and insuring the vacant propertyis significant and should be eliminated, if possible; and

4. If a suitable and appropriate third party can be found to utilize theproperty in a manner the Board believes to be consistent with andbeneficial to the District and its patrons, it is in the District's bestinterest to sell, donate or otherwise transfer Garfield ElementarySchool to such third party or parties.

As required by law, any contract entered into by the Board of Education for thedisposition of Garfield Elementary School will contain, either by express inclusionor statutory directive, the mandatory contract provisions prescribed by the KansasDepartment of Administration in Form DA-146a, as amended. K.S.A. §72-8201(a)and (b). See also Form DA-146a, attached hereto under Tab "A."

II. FACTORS CONSIDERED IN EVALUATING RESPONSESTO REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

The District's overriding objective in extending this Request for Proposal is totransfer ownership of Garfield Elementary School to a third party in a manner and foruses consistent with the best interest of the District and the District's patrons. Thiscould be accomplished through the sale of the property or through its transfer to athird party by other responsible means.

Ideally, the property will be sold, the District will receive monetaryconsideration for the transfer of title, and the third party who makes the highest offerwill also be the party proposing the plan for the future use of the building mostadvantageous to the District; however, in the absence of such an offer, the Board willconsider in making its final decision various factors in addition to the amountproposed to be paid for the purchase of the Building. Stated succinctly, the amountoffered for the building will be a factor in the Board's consideration of any bids itreceives but not the only factor, and the property may not go to the highest bidder.

The successful proposal will come from the person or entity demonstrating thefinancial capacity to maintain, care for, and keep the property over the long haulwhile, at the same time, operating the facility for purposes and in a manner consistentwith the best interest of the District. In evaluating proposals, any final determinationon the transfer of the building will include the Board's consideration of: (1) theproposed use(s) of the building; (2) the benefit of the proposed use to the District and


its patrons; (3) the financial means of the proposed buyers to maintain and care forthe building over time; and (4) other factors affecting the best interest of the District,including the monetary offers made by offerees.

Bids should be addressed to the Clerk of the Board of Education, UnifiedSchool District No. 435, Dickinson County, Kansas, by November 1, 2016. Thefollowing information should be provided with the bid:

1. Overview/Description of company or individual(s) making bid:

a. If an entity, state the number of years you have been inbusiness, the name of the business, the partners/shareholders,if any, and the names under which business has beenconducted in the last 20 years; and, if an individual, provideyour name, address, and telephone number;

b. Provide any history of bankruptcy, insolvency, orreorganization for any business or individual listed inresponse to Paragraph 1.a. above;

c. If you have defaulted on a contract in the last 20 years,provide the details, including the reason for the default andhow the matter was resolved; and

d. If you are a person and have been sued within the last 15years on any matter other than a divorce, child custody, orother related issue, or if you are a corporation and have suedor been sued for any reason during the same time frame,please provide the venue of the case (location where suit wasfiled) and the name of the opposing party.

2. Provide a comprehensive, detailed description of the use youpropose to make of the building, including an estimated time framefor completion of any required work, the estimated cost of theproject, and a statement of the manner in which you believe the useyou propose to make of the building benefits the District andDistrict patrons;


3. Describe your experience and provide references relative toconstruction/major renovation projects in which you have beeninvolved:

a. Size of projects completed in the past;

b. Type of projects;

c. Complexity of prior projects;

d. Proposed schedule for any work proposed to be done onbuilding; and

e. The names and contact information for two individuals whomyou would be willing to allow us to contact.

4. Personnel. For each of the corporations and or individuals youanticipate participating in the ownership of the building, providenames, addresses, and telephone numbers, along with a descriptionof said persons' relationship to others within the group, if any.

The bidder whose bid is accepted will, before December 31, 2016, enter intoa written contract with the District memorializing the parties' eventual agreement.The Board retains the right to reject any and all bids.

III. HISTORY OF GARFIELD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

A. The History of the Facility

Garfield Elementary School is located in Abilene, Kansas. The history ofAbilene dates from the pioneer cattle days when great herds of longhorns were drivenoverland from Texas to Abilene, the western terminus of the first railroad throughKansas. A vibrant, growing, small community of approximately 6,600 in DickinsonCounty, Kansas, Abilene holds a colorful position in the annals of the Old West andhas retained its fame and essential character. Abilene is a beautiful place to live andvisit and is currently home to the Dwight D. Eisenhower Library & Museum, theGreyhound Hall of Fame, Old Abilene Town, the Abilene and Smoky Valley


Railroad, the Heritage Center, the Great Plains Theater, and several well knownmansions, including the Seelye Mansion and the C.L. Brown Mansion.

The current Garfield Elementary School is located on the corner of 7th Streetand North Cedar Street and was the product of the Public Works Administration[hereinafter "PWA"] and Work Project Agency [hereinafter "WPA"]. BetweenJuly 1, 1935, and June 1, 1939, the WPA built 619 buildings in Kansas, whichincluded 142 schools, 52 stadiums, 16 auditoriums, and 12 gymnasiums. GarfieldElementary School was one of the 142 schools constructed during this time frame.

Built of blond brick and concrete, Garfield Elementary School is an excellentexample of the work of Kansas City, Kansas, architect Joseph W. Radotinsky, aregional architect who established a name in the design of modern style buildingsthroughout the Midwest. Garfield Elementary School portrays what is known as theModern Movement in architecture with its simple form, characterized by horizontallines and concrete detail. Key functional components of the building include themain entrance, auditorium, and former kindergarten room. The main entrance ismarked by a vertical tower. The school embodies Art Moderne stylistic referenceswith a curved bay on the east end of the building. To this day, the building retainsa high degree of historical integrity, reflecting its original design and character.

The construction of Garfield Elementary School was completed in 1942. Theschool was built to replace the dilapidated "central building" constructed in 1874.Until the spring of 2016, Garfield Elementary School served the U.S.D. No. 435Abilene school system and community as the 4th and 5th grade school. The buildinghas been well maintained and is a solid structure. It was the lack of adequate spacethat brought about the move to the newly-constructed Eisenhower Elementary School.

B. Exterior Building Features and the Site

The school site consists of approximately two city blocks located west ofBuckeye Avenue and north of downtown Abilene. The site is bordered by NorthSeventh Street on the south, a residential area to the north on Spruceway Street, andresidential areas on North Cedar Street to the west and North Buckeye Avenue to theeast. The school is situated on the south half of the block, bordered by North CedarStreet on the west and extending past Broadway Avenue to the south.

The school property extends further east toward North Buckeye Avenue,encompassing the site of the old Abilene Junior High School. The area was used until


January 1, 2016, as the Garfield Elementary School playground. Generally speaking,the school grounds are located in a residential neighborhood with private, singlefamily homes located along North Buckeye Avenue, east of the school site, andneighborhoods surrounding the school on the north, west, and south. BroadwayAvenue terminates at the school site with the tower of the main building entrancealigning with the street so the school is visible (looking north on Broadway) from thedowntown area. The school faces south, fronting North Seventh Street, and is setback from the curb on the south and west sides, forming a small grass lawn in thefront and the side of the school. Perimeter sidewalks circle the site and the schoolbuilding with walks extending to the multiple building entrances.

C. Interior of the Building

The configuration of the interior of the building features a central corridorfeeding what were classrooms on the north and south sides of the building with anadministrative block on the east end and an auditorium on the west end. When itopened, the school featured five classrooms per floor, three on the south and two onthe north, as well as a project room in the center of the north side of both floors. Thelibrary was located between the administrative offices and the kindergarten room onthe east side of the building.

In 1955, the building was expanded to include two additional classrooms, bothlocated on the second floor of the building, one over the west end of the kindergartenroom and library and the other over the southwest entrance. The auditorium wasoriginally designed and maintained as a multipurpose activity room/gymnasium andwas used for that purpose. A kitchen was added with a 1957 expansion.

The corridors were originally constructed with asphalt tile flooring, and glazedblock wainscoting, which has now been painted, borders plaster walls above. Theplaster walls remain intact and the glazed block has been painted. New DCT flooringwas installed at some point, although the timing of the installation is not entirely clearfrom available records. The classrooms originally had wood floors, while therestrooms and stairs featured terrazzo tile. The terrazzo tile remains exposed in therestrooms and stairs, and carpet has been installed over the wood floors in theclassrooms. The acoustical tile originally used on the ceiling remains in place but iscovered by suspended acoustical tile ceilings in the corridors and classrooms.

The building has much to offer and has been well maintained. The halls featurealcoves for drinking fountains and fire extinguishers. Each classroom was fitted with


multi-panel wood doors and storage cabinets. There is plenty of paved parking, aswell as a good size kitchen with a built-in exhaust hood, service to the street, awalking track, radiant heat with a new boiler installed in 2011, window airconditioning, and a roof that was replaced four (4) years ago.

D. Modifications and Remodeling Efforts after 1957

The following modifications have occurred to the school since 1957:

1. The parking lot and playground were paved in 1958 and has been wellmaintained;

2. A 1978 remodeling of several ofthe Abilene schools, including GarfieldElementary School, to comply with Section 504 of the RehabilitationAct pertaining to the civil rights of the handicapped;

3. In 1988, when the building was converted from an elementary schoolserving grades kindergarten through 5th to the District building serving4th and 5th grades only, the original kindergarten room was convertedto the library, and the administrative offices expanded into the originallibrary; and

4. A 1990 renovation took care of most of the primary interior changes thathave been done since that time and included:

a. The painting of the glazed block wainscoting;

b. The installation of new DCT tile flooring in the corridors andcarpet in the classrooms;

c. Painting in the kindergarten room;

d. The installation of a suspended ceiling throughout the buildingwithout obscuring door transoms; and

e. The replacement of the building's original windows.

The major changes in recent years include the addition of air conditioning in 1994,a new roof in 2012, and later an elevator.


On November 18, 2009, the District was advised Garfield Elementary Schoolhad been listed in the National Register of Historic Places. This provided recognitionof Garfield Elementary School's historical significance and assures protective reviewof federal projects that might adversely affect its character as an historic property.This property is also protected under the Kansas Historical Preservation Act (K. S.A.§75-2715 through §75-2725).

In addition to the prestige of inclusion in the National Register of HistoricPlaces, listed properties may enjoy a number of other benefits, potentially including:

1. Buildings listed in the National Register of Historic Places may beeligible for federal rehabilitation tax credit if they are rehabilitated forincome-producing properties. Interested buyers should contact theKansas State Historical Society for more information on the availabilityof credit. State tax credit may also be available for rehabilitation forboth income and non-income producing property in the State or NationalRegisters of Historic Places.

2. National Register listings may qualify property for the Heritage TrustFund grant program, although any party interested in purchasing theproperty should contact the Kansas State Historical Society for moreinformation and to confirm the availability of funds.

3. The Kansas State Historical Society offers technical advice to owners ofhistorical property to help them maintain the property in an historicallyaccurate manner.

U.S.D. No. 435 makes no representations about the current availability of thesefunds, credits, or assistance but instead encourages prospective buyers or otherinterested parties to contact the Kansas State Historical Society about programscurrently in place.

Attached to this Request for Proposal are:

(A) Under Tab A, Kansas Department of Administration in Form DA-146a;

(B) Under Tab B, a copy of the November 18, 2009, letter from the KansasState Historical Society, Cultural Resources Division, advising that theU.S.D. No. 435 Board of Education Garfield Elementary School had


been listed in the National Register of Historic Places, effectiveNovember 4, 2009;

(C) Under Tab C, the National Register of Historic Places RegistrationForm, date stamped November 14, 2009, listing Garfield ElementarySchool, Site No. 041-0020-0226, on the National Register of HistoricPlaces;

(D) Under Tab D, a 14-page narrative description of Garfield ElementarySchool by the United States Department of the Interior, National ParkService (NPS Form 10-900);

(E) Under Tab E, a city map of Abilene, including the location of the subjectbuilding;

(F) Under Tab F, copies of architectural drawings and plans for the originalstructure;

(G) Under Tab G, an architect's drawing for the original structure;

(H) Under Tab H, photographs ofthe original structure, two exterior and oneinterior; and

(I) Under Tab I, newspaper articles on the construction of GarfieldElementary School.

Please contact Abilene U.S.D. No. 435 Superintendent Dr. Denise Guy at(785) 263-2630 with questions, additional information, or a request for a tour.

By order of the Board of Education, Unified School District No. 435, Abilene,Dickinson County, Kansas.

Dated: September 12, 2016.

Clerk, Board of Education


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REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL ON PURCHASE OF HISTORIC SCHOOL … · REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL I. LEGAL AUTHORITY FOR DISPOSAL OF SCHOOL DISTRICT PROPERTY VESTED IN BOARD OF EDUCATION By virtue