The board toured sites Wednesday, in the event the building’s owner, the Church of God of Prophecy, opts to regain use of its building, according to Board of Education Chairman Peggy Pesterfield. Cleveland City Schools currently rents the building.
“We’ve heard some talk about the owners re-establishing a college there,” said Pesterfield.
“If we lost the Star Center (technology center) we’d have to relocate all of our technology personnel, school psychologist and Title I counselors. That’s why we’re looking today.”
The Star Center building was formerly Tomlinson College. The Church of God of Prophecy, which closed the biblical studies and liberal arts college in 1993, recently announced a 2014 start date for another on-campus training school.
Board members visited the East Tennessee Radio Group building located off Ralph Buckner Boulevard.
The 4,000-square-foot building holds five office cubicles, eight offices, one receptionist office, a small conference room, two restrooms and eight small radio station booths.
City Schools Director Dr. Rick Denning requested proposals, for both leasing and buying the building, from the East Tennessee Radio Group’s operation manager Lisa Geren. The building is owned by Paul Fink.
The board went into executive session to visit a second property site for a prospective property location for a possible new elementary school.
Denning said the possible relocation of the school system’s technology center and elementary school would be added to the school system’s long-range plan.
