For Immediate Release: July 9, 2021
On July 6, the Alexandria City Council unanimously approved the purchase by the Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) of an office building to eventually be converted into a school building, located at 1703 N. Beauregard St., for $17.9 million.
“This decision City Council has made represents a positive step for the future of our schools, our children, and our community. It provides short- and long-term solutions for student capacity issues and creatively supports the expansion of ACPS facilities,” said Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson. “While it will challenge our capital budget in the future, it is a necessary investment in the infrastructure to support our City.”
In the short term, the property (which is adjacent to Ferdinand Day Elementary School), would be used to house ACPS administrative functions, and then serve as swing space for schools during the rebuilding of the George Mason and Cora Kelly elementary schools. Later, the building would be used as a new 600-student elementary or secondary school, which ACPS projects will be needed in about 10 years. This new funding augments the Schools’ Capital Improvement Program budget, which previously did not include swing space for the George Mason and Cora Kelly projects. If enrollment falls short of projections and a new school is not needed, then the space can be used for ACPS administrative offices that are currently in leased space.
In addition to its July 6 action, on June 9, City Council approved a request from ACPS for up to $12.5 million to add an aquatics facility to its high school project to be constructed on the Minnie Howard grounds. The addition of a pool designed to meet competition standards inside the school facility would provide a competition-level facility for the school’s swim team, as well as expand swimming access for ACPS students and the community, including local swim teams. The approval was made out-of-cycle with the City’s established capital funding and decision-making processes because the ACPS overall capital funding request of $551.5 million, while fully funded by City Council in May, did not include funding for an aquatics facility within the high school project budget.
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