SPARK Building to be Leased

Given the choice between mothballing the SPARK building, selling the property or leasing it out, the Bethlehem Area School Board told director of facilities and operations Mark Stein to pursue a plan of leasing the facility at it's facilities committee meeting Monday evening.

Stein said the lease option was probably the most immediately feasible.

“To lease, the building stays fully functional,” he said, noting that if the district were to just close the building and hold it in reserve in case it was needed later, new occupancy permits would be necessary and the building would have to be brought up to current code standards.

“We have heard interest in leasing the building, at least two or three parties, but I've not heard any interest to purchase it,” Stein said.

Board members Linda Follweiler, Eugene McKeon and Loretta Leeson favored the idea of leasing the property for now and still pursuing the eventual sale of the property, while member Benjamin Tenaglia favored selling it outright.

Budget cutbacks mean the school district's pre-kindergarten SPARK program will be integrated into the schools instead of being housed in it's own facility at

The 26,000-square-foot facility costs the district about $35,000 annually in maintenance and utilities, Stein said.