We’re located at 4011 Papin, 63110 (FPSE)

This week we received our final environmental inspection and made a commitment to lease the Papin location. We have paid for the environmental inspection and will be able to publish the results for those interested.

We look forward to continuing positive relationships with our new neighbors in Forest Park South East.

Where are you located?

Last week during the final lease negotiations it became clear to our facilities committee that the owner/developer of the Papin space was not ready/able to finance the build-out for our lease space.  In typical SLLIS fashion, we immediately went out to look at other properties, had the team from Christner draw up rough space usage plans and are aggressively pursuing a new location.  Those of you who’ve been with us for a while will remember that we considered the Manchester/MacCausland area early on in the process.  An Office Max recently closed in St. Louis Marketplace and is the appropriate size for a 1-2 year incubator site.

January 15th was our milestone, internal deadline for signing a lease for July 1 occupancy and August 17th first day of school.  Industry professionals tell us that a building in recently occupied white box condition, like this Office Max, can be built out in 60 days.  The owner’s drawings for the space appear more professional to my lay-eyes and we have drafted a new lease for negotiations.  I would love to have good facilities news at next Wednesday’s School Project Group meeting.

Inhale. Our school is not our building. Exhale. The lack of equitable access to facilities hurts more than ever in times like these.

Where are you located?

And more exciting news…

We are currently negotiating a lease, with purchase options, for the building at 4015 Papin (and Vandeventer) in the Forest Park SouthEast neighborhood.  We have retained education specialists from Christner Inc. to do a feasibility study of the building and design a space program for how we can 1) use the first half of the building as incubator space for The French School and The Spanish School and 2) build out the second half of the building as a permanent location for each of those schools and maintain an incubator space for future campuses.

A team from Christner drafted a preliminary needs assessment for us in June and I was impressed with their language about how school design should complement and enhance the learning program.

The two biggest challenges about this space are traffic flow/parking and green space.  Today Vince and I met with a the GreenStreet developer, a Christner manager and a traffic consultant to discuss bus routing, timing of lights, entry points and the use of public land.  I honestly did not know that developers can (and do) influence traffic flow!   I’ll have to start paying attention to Urban Review STL, Steve Patterson’s blog, a little more closely now.

I am excited about exploring shared use of greenspace in FPSE– community garden plots and the like.  FPSE residents, any suggestions?

Where are you located? Part IV

As soon as I arrive in the office tomorrow I will begin calling architechts and design/construction contractors about the best use of our building over the start-up years.  The central library adjacent building from Part III has been acquired by another group.  Two weeks ago Manny and I headed out for more walk throughs and found a very practical space in Forest Park SouthEast and quickly had other Board Directors tour it last week.  The plan is to lease this space and have the cosmetic build-out/updates done by the owner/developer.  We will need to meet with the architechts however to review our needs assessment, best use of the space over time and to identify ways in which the environment will enhance learning in our school community.  If all goes well we will sign a lease before the end of 2008!  Once the lease is signed I’ll post the building details.

See y’all at the School Project Group meeting Wednesday!

Where are you located? Part III

Manny Silva, Board Director & facilities coach extraordinaire, and I walked through a new potential space Friday afternoon. It’s adjacent to the Central Library on Olive and 14th and has all of the growth potential that we need, a lease price that we can afford and a timeline that, if we confirm before New Years, will have the space ready for August. How cool would it be for our schools to open next door to the Central Library? Remember the fairytale exhibit a couple of years ago? The possibilities of uber-rich partnerships are endless.

But like every other Downtown/Mid-Town location it has clear challenges for green space/outdoor play space.

For those of you wondering why we don’t move into _____ School that SLPS closed in your neighborhood, the answer lies in the 99 year deed restriction on former SLPS property. Once St. Louis Public School buildings, that were paid for with tax dollars and designed to be schools, are closed and up for sale, they cannot be used for any educational purpose (or adult store or gaming facility). But I digress.

I called our faithful realtors and requested new specs for another round of walk-throughs. Our incubator space is out there, we just have to find it. When Webster declined to sponsor our charter in July, we were all quite disappointed and concerned about the plausability of an 09 opening. A wise, dear friend and City Garden Montessori parent shared these words of wisdom with me:

“What you are doing is so rich, so powerful, and so needed that the universe will make a way out of no way…the powers that be (and I’m not talking about universities) will open the perfect door for your project…and ONLY the most perfect door. That door is not Webster, but there is a door. And when it opens for you, you will see how perfect it is and how it is the ONLY door for you.”

Every day I am seeing how right she was and that the best sponsor for our schools will indeed sponsor our charter (more on that later). We have all– Board Directors, School Project Groups, Potential Founding Families, Community Advocates — called that into being. Now let’s focus our collective energies on space.

Where are you located? Part II

We just learned that we did not get the bid for the location at 100 N. Jefferson near Market. Congratulations to St. Vincent de Paul, altough I can’t imagine what they’re going to do with our school building.

We’re regrouping for another round of walk-throughs for move-in ready commercial space that is centrally located. If you drive past any building that inspires you for our incubator space, send me an e-mail. You never know!

Where are you located?

Good question. All charter schools must be located within the City of St. Louis. The French and Spanish schools will share a building in their incubation years (this helps us reduce overhead costs). When surveying families over the past year, most families agreed that a centrally –located school would be best, not North or South, and not far Downtown. We engaged Duffe-Neurenberger Realty to identify buildings in the central corridor (between Delmar and 44). The facilities committee did two rounds of walk-throughs in July and August and we walked through a wide range of possibilities. We quickly realized that with our timeline to welcoming families (10 months!), we need a building that is in walk-in condition (no significant construction or structural updating). We have drafted a contract for one potential site near Jefferson and Market. As soon as our option is accepted, we’ll share the good word.

Our facilities search is far from over, however. As each school and the network grows we will start a new round of facilities walk-throughs and negotiations.