New deadline for school admin building

By Staff

The Fairfax County School Board has extended its deadline for negotiations with the owner of the Gatehouse II office building, allowing more time for school officials to convince the county Board of Supervisors of the merits of the purchase.

Supervisors declined to approve financing for the $130 million purchase and renovation at their Sept. 22 meeting.

The school system will prepare an updated real estate market assessment and business plan for the purchase, according to a news release. The school board and the owner of the Merrifield office building have set a new due diligence deadline of Dec. 1 to allow for continued debate.

School officials say the building purchase would save money in the short and long term by allowing current administrative office space to be sold or returned to use as schools and eliminating leased space.

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