The Fairfax County School Board is considering the purchase of an existing property at 8111 Gatehouse Road in Falls Church to complete a two-phase administrative office consolidation plan that was initiated almost four years ago.
July 24, 2008 UPDATE: The School Board motion passed 11-1 to authorize school system staff to negotiate a Purchase and Sale Agreement (PSA) for 8111 Gatehouse. Complete report.
Approval of Phase I in November 2004 resulted in the consolidation of departments and offices from several facilities into Gatehouse Administration Center I at 8115 Gatehouse Road in Falls Church. FCPS demonstrated proven savings with the consolidation of employees into Gatehouse I (maintenance and replacement costs, staff efficiencies) and projects additional savings with the continuation of the consolidation plan.
The School Board is now considering the proposal for the phase II facility. The following facts are offered about this consolidation:
- The project will be fully self-funded through savings and efficiencies.
- Not $1 will come from the Capital Improvement Program.
- No money will be taken away from schools or students.
- Fairfax County residents will not be taxed to pay for the building or renovation costs.
- Consolidating employees at one site reduces travel between sites for meetings, enables reduction in use of fuel, reduces travel reimbursement costs (green issues).
- Because of the increased staffing efficiencies, FCPS expects to save an estimated $1 million per year over the 31-year life cycle.
- This is a great time to purchase real estate.
- Interest rates are low.
- Tax-exempt Interest rates are favorably low.
- Motivated seller enabled us to get the building or well below the going rate per square foot of comparable buildings in the county.
- No payments will need to be made until fiscal year 2013.
- Purchasing this existing building will cost $34.8 million less than constructing a second Gatehouse building and the building is 67,000 square feet bigger than Gatehouse I.
- A third party has verified that this is a fiscally prudent move for the school system and the families and communities of Fairfax County.
- FCPS demonstrated proven savings with the consolidation of employees into the existing Gatehouse I building (maintenance and replacement costs, staff efficiencies), and plan to do it again with Gatehouse II. Another Smart Move.
- This consolidation will centrally locate services to provide “one-stop shopping” for families.
- This consolidation may allow us to move some capital improvement projects forward.
- FCPS can return some existing administrative office buildings (Lacey, Devonshire) back to their communities for schools.
- Depending on growth in the Tysons Corner area, Dunn Loring may be used as a school again.
- Three buildings will be conveyed to the county in exchange for increased capital improvement funding.
Resources
Phase II Consolidation (pdf)
Fact Sheet (pdf)
Gatehouse Administration Center II Purchase vs. Build Analysis (pdf)
Occupancy Model Assessment (pdf)
Third Party Review
Timeline: April-November 2008 (pdf)
Frequently Asked Questions (pdf)
Business Model (pdf)
Background and Cost Savings of Gatehouse Phase I (pdf)
What Do You Think?
Please review the above information and add your input regarding this proposed purchase through an online survey.
A map and driving directions to Gatehouse Administration Center I are available.
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