Board approves lease at Georgia Tech campus for temporary central office relocation

The Savannah‑Chatham County Board of Education on May 7 approved a rental agreement to move portions of central staff from 208 Bull Street to property on the Georgia Tech Savannah campus at 190 Technology Circle.

The board approved the lease after a motion that included an amendment authorizing the superintendent to execute adjustments to the renewal terms consistent with clarifying language discussed at the meeting.

Superintendent Denise Watts said the move is temporary and will occur in phases to avoid interrupting critical operations. "We're doing it in a phased process," she said, adding that technology staff were among the first to relocate so they could set up infrastructure for other departments. Watts said she expects some central staff to be out of 208 Bull Street by mid‑June, with all moves completed by mid‑September.

Board members and other speakers pressed staff on costs and accessibility. Dr. Springman criticized the lease price and operating charges, saying, "590 up to $647,000 a year for the next 4 years" was difficult for him to accept and asked whether the district could exit the lease sooner. Superintendent Watts and staff said Georgia Tech was one of the more affordable, available options in the current market and that the district had examined more than 20 other sites.

Board member Sean Kaczmar moved an amendment authorizing the superintendent to execute any reasonable amendments to the agreement that clarify renewal terms, provided such amendments do not materially change the term or monetary value. The amendment was adopted during the meeting and the rental agreement was approved with that understanding.

Officials said the district is trying to balance the need to get staff out of deteriorating space at 208 Bull Street and to maintain services for parents and community members. Watts said some departments with frequent public contact will be housed at Port Wentworth to preserve access by bus lines and that remote work options will be used to ease commuting burdens. "We have tried to be as thoughtful as we can about all the different challenges that this move may present," she said.

The board heard that some departments will later return to refurbished space at 208 Bull Street or to an annex at Savannah High School once construction projects are complete. A phased schedule for moves and a planned communication campaign were described as part of the transition plan.

The board did not record a roll‑call vote in the public record excerpt; the motion, the Kaczmar amendment and the final approval were announced as having passed.

Staff noted the lease is intended to be temporary while the district completes renovation and annex projects; an explicit target for listing 208 Bull Street for sale was described as roughly a year out contingent on other moves and project timelines.