Wenatchee Federal Building Could Be Future High School

From Wenatchee School District News Release

Wenatchee School District is considering acquiring the former Wenatchee Federal Building for use as a high school. The U.S. Department of Education awards surplus federal real estate to education institutions, and a grants-in-aid program offers discounts from 40 – 100 percent of fair market value. The district would need to commit to using the building for education programs, and is considering using the building as a high school with a possible Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) focus.

The building is currently owned by the General Services Administration (GSA) and was home to the U.S Postal Service until June 2015. The building is 43-year-old and 104,000-square-feet, 70,000 of which is usable for classrooms, offices, and other educational spaces.

When Superintendent Brian Flones became aware that the building was available, he contacted the Department of Education and expressed an interest. The idea was discussed at the School Board meeting on August 23, 2016. The deadline for application is October 1, 2016.

The district hired architect Tom Bassett to evaluate the building for educational purposes. Bassett took a team of consultants and examined the building and grounds. Bassett outlined a number of advantages and challenges the building presented.  “It is a wonderful opportunity. It’s a very nice building,” Bassett told the Board. “The Department of Education expressed a desire for us to have the building,”

School board members discussed the impact the move might have on modernizing Wenatchee High School.