School headquarters will move for first time in 80 years

Springfield, Missouri's school administrative offices will move to a newly renovated building this month.

By the end of June, Springfield Public Schools will operate out of the new Kraft Administrative Center on St. Louis Street, reported the Springfield News-Leader. The office has been at its current location on North Jefferson Avenue since 1930.

The old building was becoming too difficult and costly to maintain and required significant repairs to its boiler and temperature control systems, said Superintendent Norm Ridder.

"For us to do anything to this building would be quite expensive," he told the paper.

The renovated building is something of a compromise, added Ridder. Its parking situation and location are not ideal, but it is larger than the old building and the layout is more convenient.

Springfield Public Schools will pay $4.7 million to buy and renovate the new building and demolish their old offices. The district secured funds through a lease-purchase contract that gave them money upfront while allowing them to pay back the debt over 20 years, said the paper.

Their move is another example of the cost and compromises companies or agencies must make when relocating.

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