For sale: Extremely large three-story brick building in the heart of scenic Albert Lea.

Sunday, August 15, 1999

For sale: Extremely large three-story brick building in the heart of scenic Albert Lea. Building includes two gymnasiums, a faulty indoor pool, industrial tech shops and ample office space.

Visitors describe it as a sprawling labyrinth of rooms and colored lockers. It’s now a place of learning, but will succumb to progress in the fall of 2000.

Asbestos remains a problem. Asking price, unknown.

Inquirers are asked to call Albert Lea Area Schools.

For sale

When the new high school opens about October of 2000, Superintendent David Prescott said plans are that most or all of the current high school won’t belong to the district.

He said the school board is stepping up its efforts to sell the current school and is also considering moving the district offices to another district building.

&uot;We have three or four different parties who are talking to us,&uot; Prescott said of selling the school. &uot;But I’m not sure if we have any progress. It’s slow.&uot;

He said he couldn’t comment about a sale price.

While plans are still in the discussion phase, the board has only approved selling part of the building, he said the district is seeking advice from the community in what to do with the old school.

&uot;We’re willling to talk to anyone,&uot; added Mark Stotts, district director of finance and operations. &uot;We’re going to try and actively market it.&uot;

Moving the district offices to another school would reduce budget demands as district revenues continue to shrink due to declining enrollment, he said, offering no savings.

&uot;With budgets the way they are, it’s wise to find ways to decrease square footage,&uot; he said. &uot;We’re looking for people who might be interested in buying it.&uot;

Thus far, Prescott said he has talked to the Albert Lea Medical Center about buying the school. The Freeborn County Family Services Collaborative has also expressed an interest in co-locating at the school with similar family agencies.

He said other companies have considered renovating the school into a housing complex.

The hospital has shown little interest, he said. The collaborative remains interested, but for others, time delays are a problem.

&uot;The fact that we were talking about two years away was a detriment,&uot; Prescott said of past discussions. &uot;People want to do it now, not in 24 months.

&uot;That’s why we haven’t pushed it until now,&uot; he added. &uot;It’s a large building. It has a lot of potential, obviously, if you find the right buyer.&uot;

But while it’s size, two open gym areas – a filled pool is the size of a third gym – shop areas and countless rooms could attract the right buyer, the school might not attract people who want to demolish it and build a new building.

Before demolition is allowed, the removal of asbestos is first required, greatly increasing demolition costs.

&uot;The asbestos in the building would be a costly venture for us,&uot; he said. &uot;It’s not a safety issue as long as you don’t take it down.&uot;