Camden district looks to sell central office building

Camden school officials have taken the first step toward selling the Front Street building that houses the district's central offices, a structure they say has fallen into disrepair and costs hundreds of thousands of dollars a year to maintain.

The eight-story edifice was constructed almost a century ago to hold executive offices of the Victor Talking Machine Co., later RCA Victor, which had numerous buildings throughout downtown Camden.

On Tuesday the district posted a request for qualifications, seeking bidders interested in buying and renovating the property. The district will seek a buyer willing to pay at least $3 million, officials said.

The property, near the Victor Lofts, will become the second former Victor property to go on the market lately. Developer Carl Dranoff put his luxury apartment building up for sale last year.

The district building houses about 200 employees, district spokesman Brendan Lowe said, and is not at capacity. Like many Camden school buildings, where students and teachers complain of drafts in the winter and sweltering heat in the summer, its offices need new windows, new plumbing, heating and cooling systems, and electrical work, among other upgrades.

"The state of this facility is emblematic of the state of many of our facilities," Lowe said.

It's unclear whether the district offices would move to another location or lease office space from a new owner.

The district spent about $443,000 in maintenance and upkeep for the building last year, Lowe said. That was on top of $210,000 in 2013 and $205,000 the year before.

Camden school officials have used the building for well over a decade and bought it in 2006 for about $2 million, Lowe said.

Superintendent Paymon Rouhanifard, who was appointed in 2013 as part of a state takeover of the schools, has said he would improve the efficiency of the district's central office.

"As we prepare to face another challenging budget situation, we believe we have a responsibility to take this initial step and determine what interest exists," Lowe said. "We are looking to see if there is an opportunity that could create a better work environment for our employees and generate proceeds that we could reinvest in our schools."

Source: Philly.com