The Federal Way School Board voted Nov. 24 to purchase the Norman Center, which formerly housed the Federal Way YMCA.

The property, located at 33250 21st Ave. SW, is 9.7 acres and contains two structures: One 9,094-square-foot building that was built in 1996, and a 16,650-square-foot covered recreation building.

The building already meets code for operation as a school.

“This is an incredible opportunity at a great price,” board member Suzanne Smith said.

The land was originally donated to the YMCA by Weyerhaeuser in 1982. It is believed that there were no requirements that the land stay in the YMCA’s hands.

The cost is $2.1 million, which works out to $4.97 per square foot. That is less than the district’s last property purchase in 2004, where the district paid $5.16 per square foot for vacant land. That land will be used for the district’s new maintenance center that they will be building in the near future.

The district already has several uses lined up for the Norman Center, including relocating its Employment and Transition Program for students with disabilities. The program is currently housed at Federal Way High School, but has outgrown that space.

Additionally, the district hopes to expand the AmeriCorps after school program as well as the ECEAP (Early Childhood Education and Assistance) Programs. The district also hopes to hold summer camps there as well as rent out the covered recreation area, which is a full size soccer field.

The ECEAP program could offer an additional 80 slots with the extra housing at the Norman Center, which was originally designed as a daycare center.

The YMCA has expressed interest in holding summer camps at the Norman Center.

The district has two options to fund the purchase. One option is existing capital projects funds, which cannot be used for instructional programs. Or the district could use the state’s LOCAL program, a lease/purchase program authorized in 1989. The program provides financing for property by state agencies through the use of financing contracts, including installment payments, lease/purchase agreements or any other interest-bearing contract used to finance property. Projects must be submitted to and approved by the Legislature.

The board will decide at a later date which funding route to pursue.

The Norman Center closed in April 2008, and was never actively marketed.

School board member Angela Griffin was an associate executive of the Federal Way Norman Center at the time of its closure. The center closed due to a lack of kids enrolled in the daycare, and that became a financial issue, she said.

Griffin recused herself from the school board’s vote last week. However, she is pleased with the decision.

“I know the intention of the land and the facility was to keep with the YMCA’s motto of strong kids, strong families, strong communities,” Griffin said. “The school district will continue to fulfill that mission.”

The district has been eyeing the property for some time now.

On July 28, 2008, the school board requested staff begin to look into the purchase.

The YMCA is currently undergoing a capital campaign to raise funds. Anything raised by Dec. 31 would receive matching grants, so YMCA is pushing for quick action. The district decided to act right away and did not hold a public hearing on the matter, spokeswoman Diane Turner said.

The district will hold a financing meeting Jan. 12 that will be open to the public.

Not much would have to be done to the property, Chief Financial Officer Sally McLean said. The property would need to be fenced off, and some sound walls might be added, but there would be no cost to move in.