If you'd outgrown your old house and were eyeing a more desirable area, you might first want a good idea of what your home was worth on the market.
But that's not the way it's going for the Tucson Unified School District Governing Board, which will vote Tuesday whether to close up to four elementary schools in an effort to solve a looming budget deficit and deal with shrinking enrollment.
The district has roughed out an estimate on how much the closures will save in terms of operating revenue — $1.8 million — but how much any of the properties may generate if they go up for sale is anyone's guess.
Value can't be determined without appraisals, which haven't been ordered. In part, that's because the cash-strapped district didn't want to spend the money until necessary.
In larger part, how valuable a property is — or what its ultimate use might be — was low on the list of closure criteria, said Rudy Flores, TUSD executive director of engineering, facilities and planning.
People are also reading…
But Kristin Wright, a Corbett Elementary School parent anxiously awaiting the vote, says the district should slow down and set up stronger criteria for closures, including how viable the properties are.
"Those considerations should certainly be addressed on the front end and not on the back end, because I honestly, truly believe we'll have these (empty) buildings sitting there," Wright said. "As a taxpayer and a person who could live near one of those schools, they could be a haven for vandalism."
There are few comparable sales to use as a gauge for values, but real-estate experts say much will depend on the types of restrictions developers could face and if they win rezonings.
Some schools may be suitable for day-care centers, community centers or apartment conversions, said Peter Douglas, a principal with Picor Commercial Real Estate Services.
"It would take some creative thinking, but there's the potential for something that will benefit the community and generate a profit for the school district," Douglas said.
On StarNet: To keep up to date with all the happenings around the TUSD, visit azstarnet.com/education.
