City Schools Consider Costs, Benefits Of Relocating North Avenue Headquarters

City schools officials are considering moving their administrative headquarters, district officials confirm.

Chief of Staff Alison Perkins-Cohen said in a letter to faculty and staff that officials are starting to explore whether keeping the North Avenue headquarters "is the best thing for the district." They're working to commission a study on the short and long term costs of remaining in place or moving, whether the property could be redeveloped, and what the implications of redevelopment might be.

In a statement to WBAL NewsRadio 1090, Perkins-Cohen said the evaluation is "part of continual efforts to reduce costs and maximize efficiency." A number of central office staffers have been let go in budget crises of recent years, and she notes that the aging building requires costly maintenance.

The Central Baltimore Partnership has put out a request for proposals for the analysis and report, which will be funded by community partners, Perkins-Cohen said, and won't be ready for several months.

"Through this analysis, City Schools will be better positioned to determine how the district office can maximize efficiency in terms both of costs and of delivering support to schools," she said. "Any recommendation for further action will take into account not just the implications for the district itself, but for the Station North neighborhood and the city as a whole.”

In June, 32 district office staffers were among 115 district employees laid off.

Robert Lang contributed to this report.