Friday, October 30, 2015

KCS eyes Rule High School as new HQ

The Knox County school system is focusing on the historic Rule High School as a potential location for its new headquarters.

“We continue to explore options for moving KCS Central Office out of the Andrew Johnson Building in consultation with Knox County Government, and the focus is increasingly on a potential solution at the Rule High School campus,” said KCS Superintendent Jim McIntyre to school board members in an email Thursday. “We are also exploring some options around consolidation of Maintenance and Warehousing space.”

Rule, which is almost 90 years old, has long since fallen into disrepair and closed in 1991.
The school system is looking to relocate some 200 employees from the downtown A.J. Building. In late July, five firms submitted proposals to help with the move.

One firm, Dominion Development Group, even suggested rehabilitating Rule High School and setting up shop there.

Other proposals included moving the workers to Physicians Regional Medical Center campus, also known as St. Mary's Medical Center, or relocating to Pellissippi Office Center - a 100,000-square-foot facility that sits on 11.5 acres off Cogdill Road.

The proposals come as the county looks to put the A.J. Building back on the tax rolls.

"In accordance with the recent budget compromise, we continue to work with the Knox County Government to explore potential properties to relocate the Knox County Schools Central Office and district support services,” McIntyre said in a statement to WBIR 10News.  “We are examining a variety of options, including the Rule High School campus, and hope to make an announcement about our progress in the coming weeks.”

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