REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL ON PURCHASE OF HISTORIC SCHOOL BUILDING Garfield Elementary School 300 North West 7th Street Abilene, Kansas 67410 Listed on the National Historic Register of Historic Places Site No. 041-0020-0226 U.S.D. No. 435 Board of Education 213 North Broadway Avenue Abilene, Kansas 67410
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL I. LEGAL AUTHORITY FOR DISPOSAL OF SCHOOL DISTRICT PROPERTY VESTED IN BOARD OF EDUCATION By virtue of the authority granted to it under Kansas law, the U.S.D. No. 435 Board of Education [hereinafter "the Board"], after the successful completion and opening 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 for the sale of Garfield Elementary School, located at 200 North West 7th Street, Abilene, Kansas. See K.S.A. 72-8201, et seq., Organization, Powers and Finances ofboards ofeducation (allowing a unified school district to "... execute contracts and hold such real and personal property as it may acquire [and]... possess the usual powers of a corporation for public purposes.") Id. Under the law, the Board has both title to and responsibility for the care and keeping of all District school buildings and other real and personal property belonging to the District. K.S.A. 72-8212(d). When school facilities are no longer needed, "[s]chool buildings and other school properties... may be disposed of by the board upon the affirmative[,] recorded vote of not less than a majority of the members of the board at a regular meeting." Id. The statute further provides the board may dispose of the property "in such manner and upon such terms and conditions as the board deems to be in the best interest of the school district." Id. There are no procedural impediments to the sale of the building, other than the execution of the conveyance 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 studied possible current and future uses for Garfield Elementary School and having done so, determined that: 1. With the construction and opening of Eisenhower Elementary School in early 2016, Garfield Elementary School is currently vacant; 2. The continuing usage of the property is not required by U.S.D. No. 435 to maintain its operations or to meet District obligations; Page 1 of 9
3. The ongoing cost of maintaining and insuring the vacant property is significant and should be eliminated, if possible; and 4. If a suitable and appropriate third party can be found to utilize the property in a manner the Board believes to be consistent with and beneficial to the District and its patrons, it is in the District's best interest to sell, donate or otherwise transfer Garfield Elementary School to such third party or parties. As required by law, any contract entered into by the Board of Education for the disposition of Garfield Elementary School will contain, either by express inclusion or statutory directive, the mandatory contract provisions prescribed by the Kansas Department 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 RESPONSES TO REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL The District's overriding objective in extending this is to transfer ownership of Garfield Elementary School to a third party in a manner and for uses consistent with the best interest of the District and the District's patrons. This could be accomplished through the sale of the property or through its transfer to a third party by other responsible means. Ideally, the property will be sold, the District will receive monetary consideration for the transfer of title, and the third party who makes the highest offer will also be the party proposing the plan for the future use of the building most advantageous to the District; however, in the absence of such an offer, the Board will consider in making its final decision various factors in addition to the amount proposed to be paid for the purchase of the Building. Stated succinctly, the amount offered for the building will be a factor in the Board's consideration of any bids it receives 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 the financial capacity to maintain, care for, and keep the property over the long haul while, at the same time, operating the facility for purposes and in a manner consistent with the best interest of the District. In evaluating proposals, any final determination on the transfer of the building will include the Board's consideration of: (1) the proposed use(s) of the building; (2) the benefit of the proposed use to the District and Page 2 of 9
its patrons; (3) the financial means of the proposed buyers to maintain and care for the 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, Unified School District No. 435, Dickinson County, Kansas, by November 1, 2016. The following 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 in business, the name of the business, the partners/shareholders, if any, and the names under which business has been conducted in the last 20 years; and, if an individual, provide your name, address, and telephone number; b. Provide any history of bankruptcy, insolvency, or reorganization for any business or individual listed in response 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 and how the matter was resolved; and d. If you are a person and have been sued within the last 15 years on any matter other than a divorce, child custody, or other related issue, or if you are a corporation and have sued or been sued for any reason during the same time frame, please provide the venue of the case (location where suit was filed) and the name of the opposing party. 2. Provide a comprehensive, detailed description of the use you propose to make of the building, including an estimated time frame for completion of any required work, the estimated cost of the project, and a statement of the manner in which you believe the use you propose to make of the building benefits the District and District patrons; Page 3 of 9
3. Describe your experience and provide references relative to construction/major renovation projects in which you have been involved: 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 on building; and e. The names and contact information for two individuals whom you would be willing to allow us to contact. 4. Personnel. For each of the corporations and or individuals you anticipate participating in the ownership of the building, provide names, addresses, and telephone numbers, along with a description of said persons' relationship to others within the group, if any. The bidder whose bid is accepted will, before December 31, 2016, enter into a 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 of Abilene dates from the pioneer cattle days when great herds of longhorns were driven overland from Texas to Abilene, the western terminus of the first railroad through Kansas. A vibrant, growing, small community of approximately 6,600 in Dickinson County, Kansas, Abilene holds a colorful position in the annals of the Old West and has retained its fame and essential character. Abilene is a beautiful place to live and visit and is currently home to the Dwight D. Eisenhower Library & Museum, the Greyhound Hall of Fame, Old Abilene Town, the Abilene and Smoky Valley Page 4 of 9
Railroad, the Heritage Center, the Great Plains Theater, and several well known mansions, including the Seelye Mansion and the C.L. Brown Mansion. The current Garfield Elementary School is located on the corner of 7th Street and North Cedar Street and was the product of the Public Works Administration [hereinafter "PWA"] and Work Project Agency [hereinafter "WPA"]. Between July 1, 1935, and June 1, 1939, the WPA built 619 buildings in Kansas, which included 142 schools, 52 stadiums, 16 auditoriums, and 12 gymnasiums. Garfield Elementary School was one of the 142 schools constructed during this time frame. Built of blond brick and concrete, Garfield Elementary School is an excellent example of the work of Kansas City, Kansas, architect Joseph W. Radotinsky, a regional architect who established a name in the design of modern style buildings throughout the Midwest. Garfield Elementary School portrays what is known as the Modern Movement in architecture with its simple form, characterized by horizontal lines and concrete detail. Key functional components of the building include the main entrance, auditorium, and former kindergarten room. The main entrance is marked by a vertical tower. The school embodies Art Moderne stylistic references with a curved bay on the east end of the building. To this day, the building retains a high degree of historical integrity, reflecting its original design and character. The construction of Garfield Elementary School was completed in 1942. The school 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. 435 Abilene school system and community as the 4th and 5th grade school. The building has been well maintained and is a solid structure. It was the lack of adequate space that 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 of Buckeye Avenue and north of downtown Abilene. The site is bordered by North Seventh Street on the south, a residential area to the north on Spruceway Street, and residential areas on North Cedar Street to the west and North Buckeye Avenue to the east. The school is situated on the south half of the block, bordered by North Cedar Street 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 Page 5 of 9
January 1, 2016, as the Garfield Elementary School playground. Generally speaking, the school grounds are located in a residential neighborhood with private, single family homes located along North Buckeye Avenue, east of the school site, and neighborhoods surrounding the school on the north, west, and south. Broadway Avenue terminates at the school site with the tower of the main building entrance aligning with the street so the school is visible (looking north on Broadway) from the downtown area. The school faces south, fronting North Seventh Street, and is set back from the curb on the south and west sides, forming a small grass lawn in the front and the side of the school. Perimeter sidewalks circle the site and the school building with walks extending to the multiple building entrances. C. Interior of the Building The configuration of the interior of the building features a central corridor feeding what were classrooms on the north and south sides of the building with an administrative block on the east end and an auditorium on the west end. When it opened, the school featured five classrooms per floor, three on the south and two on the north, as well as a project room in the center of the north side of both floors. The library was located between the administrative offices and the kindergarten room on the east side of the building. In 1955, the building was expanded to include two additional classrooms, both located on the second floor of the building, one over the west end of the kindergarten room and library and the other over the southwest entrance. The auditorium was originally designed and maintained as a multipurpose activity room/gymnasium and was used for that purpose. A kitchen was added with a 1957 expansion. The corridors were originally constructed with asphalt tile flooring, and glazed block wainscoting, which has now been painted, borders plaster walls above. The plaster walls remain intact and the glazed block has been painted. New DCT flooring was installed at some point, although the timing of the installation is not entirely clear from available records. The classrooms originally had wood floors, while the restrooms and stairs featured terrazzo tile. The terrazzo tile remains exposed in the restrooms and stairs, and carpet has been installed over the wood floors in the classrooms. The acoustical tile originally used on the ceiling remains in place but is covered by suspended acoustical tile ceilings in the corridors and classrooms. The building has much to offer and has been well maintained. The halls feature alcoves for drinking fountains and fire extinguishers. Each classroom was fitted with Page 6 of 9
multi-panel wood doors and storage cabinets. There is plenty of paved parking, as well as a good size kitchen with a built-in exhaust hood, service to the street, a walking track, radiant heat with a new boiler installed in 2011, window air conditioning, 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 well maintained; 2. A 1978 remodeling of several ofthe Abilene schools, including Garfield Elementary School, to comply with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act pertaining to the civil rights of the handicapped; 3. In 1988, when the building was converted from an elementary school serving grades kindergarten through 5th to the District building serving 4th and 5th grades only, the original kindergarten room was converted to the library, and the administrative offices expanded into the original library; and 4. A 1990 renovation took care of most of the primary interior changes that have 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 and carpet in the classrooms; c. Painting in the kindergarten room; d. The installation of a suspended ceiling throughout the building without 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. Page 7 of 9
On November 18, 2009, the District was advised Garfield Elementary School had been listed in the National Register of Historic Places. This provided recognition of Garfield Elementary School's historical significance and assures protective review of 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 Historic Places, listed properties may enjoy a number of other benefits, potentially including: 1. Buildings listed in the National Register of Historic Places may be eligible for federal rehabilitation tax credit if they are rehabilitated for income-producing properties. Interested buyers should contact the Kansas State Historical Society for more information on the availability of credit. State tax credit may also be available for rehabilitation for both income and non-income producing property in the State or National Registers of Historic Places. 2. National Register listings may qualify property for the Heritage Trust Fund grant program, although any party interested in purchasing the property should contact the Kansas State Historical Society for more information and to confirm the availability of funds. 3. The Kansas State Historical Society offers technical advice to owners of historical property to help them maintain the property in an historically accurate manner. U.S.D. No. 435 makes no representations about the current availability of these funds, credits, or assistance but instead encourages prospective buyers or other interested parties to contact the Kansas State Historical Society about programs currently in place. Attached to this are: (A) (B) Under Tab A, Kansas Department of Administration in Form DA-146a; Under Tab B, a copy of the November 18, 2009, letter from the Kansas State Historical Society, Cultural Resources Division, advising that the U.S.D. No. 435 Board of Education Garfield Elementary School had Page 8 of 9
been listed in the National Register of Historic Places, effective November 4, 2009; (C) (D) (E) (F) (G) (H) (I) Under Tab C, the National Register of Historic Places Registration Form, date stamped November 14, 2009, listing Garfield Elementary School, Site No. 041-0020-0226, on the National Register of Historic Places; Under Tab D, a 14-page narrative description of Garfield Elementary School by the United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service (NPS Form 10-900); Under Tab E, a city map of Abilene, including the location of the subject building; Under Tab F, copies of architectural drawings and plans for the original structure; Under Tab G, an architect's drawing for the original structure; Under Tab H, photographs ofthe original structure, two exterior and one interior; and Under Tab I, newspaper articles on the construction of Garfield Elementary 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 Page 9 of 9