East Leonard Elementary School closed in June. Now, the City of Grand Rapids has signed a two-year agreement with Grand Rapids Public Schools to lease the building.
The Grand Rapids Fire Department plans on using the former school to support its training, recruitment, testing, and building maintenance programs while its new $43 million training center is under construction.
The lease agreement was approved by the city commission on September 24th and began on October 1st.
As part of the agreement, the city will assume responsibility for maintaining both the building and surrounding grounds, while the former school’s playground will remain open for community use.
The lease allows the GRFD to enhance its operations while GRPS decides on how best to utilize the property moving forward. The school district has formed a task force, partnering with city leaders to develop a plan for the future use of multiple former school buildings.
East Leonard Elementary, built in 1957, was closed earlier this year along with Stocking Elementary, which just celebrated its 100th year. A GRPS representative says both schools were outdated and had been experiencing declining enrollment.