District purchasing Muscatell Super Center for new transportation building
April 11, 2017
At the April 10 meeting, the Moorhead School Board approved the purchase of the Ward Muscatell Super Center at 1313 30th Ave. S., Moorhead, for a new transportation and operations center for the district. The $2.7 million purchase agreement is pending approval of a conditional use permit with the City of Moorhead and completion of a facility inspection.
The cost for the site will be paid from the district’s current budget for facilities, said Brandon Lunak, assistant superintendent of finance and operations. Other facility projects will be delayed to adjust the budget to accommodate the purchase.
The need for a new transportation facility was addressed during the development of the district’s facilities master plan in 2014-15. The evaluation of the current transportation building at 1304 15th Ave. N., Moorhead, found the 15,974-square-foot building in poor condition and in need of numerous corrections. The plan, which was accepted by the board in February 2015, called for substantial renovation or full replacement of the facility.
Approximately 13 of the district’s 29 vehicles can be parked inside the current garage.
“This acquisition will double our square footage, and we will be acquiring the acreage that goes along with it,” Lunak said.
The Muscatell building is approximately 30,000 square feet on a 7.2-acre site. This would allow for future expansion to house all of the district’s vehicles.
Additionally the new site would allow for central delivery and warehousing, which the district currently does not have, Lunak said. In the future a centralized food preparation kitchen could be considered.
“Thank you for finding a creative solution for a need we have identified as a district,” said Mark Altenburg, School Board member. “I think it’s a great location and a great facility. I think it meets a need that we have.”
The board will be asked to vote again in May after action by the City of Moorhead, Lunak said.
Categorized under: School