SPS board authorizes $2.5M building purchase

The Springfield Public Schools Board of Education this week authorized the $2.5 million purchase of a building to which it will relocate its transportation department.

The former site of a trucking company on 18 acres, the 32,793-square-foot building at 2945 E. Pythian St. is more than four times the size of the current SPS transportation facility, located on about 5 acres at 1600 E. Chestnut Expressway, according to a news release.

"For a long time, the current facility has been inadequate for our needs," said Rick Emling, director of transportation, in the release. "The new facility is not only adequate for our needs today but will serve our needs into the future and allow us to gain efficiencies in our operations."

According to the Greene County assessor records, the East Pythian Street site is owned by Floyd Whitworth Trucking Inc. The property is under contract from owner Ron Whitworth, according to SPS communications specialist Pam Bodine, who said the logo CXI is marked on the side of the building.

The school board approved the purchase during its Oct. 15 executive session, and the district is slated to close on the deal Dec. 10. After renovations, SPS expects to move the headquarters of its 144-bus fleet to the new facility in summer 2014. The property, near U.S. Highway 65, also would increase parking and expand office and training space for the transportation department's 235 employees, the release said.