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Baltimore City Board of Estimates approves transfer agreements for three former public schools
Summary
On Sept. 3, 2025, the Baltimore City Board of Estimates approved three public school property transfer agreements that require the city to assume unpaid bond debt totaling $3,319,578.32 to lift Interagency Commission on School Construction holds and allow ongoing City Schools projects to move forward.
The Baltimore City Board of Estimates approved three public school property transfer agreements on Sept. 3, 2025, requiring the city to assume outstanding bond debt on the former Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Pre-K–8 school, Grove Park Pre-K–8 and Samuel F. B. Morse Elementary so work on City Schools projects can resume.
The transfers, presented as walk-on items by the Department of Finance, are intended to satisfy requirements in the Maryland Education Article and to remove holds the Interagency Commission on School Construction (IAC) placed on active construction contracts. Department of Finance officials said the IAC began issuing stop-work directives this summer, creating urgency to finalize the three agreements.
Director Moxon of the Department of Finance told the board that state law requires surplus school buildings be transferred to local government (Education Article §4-115) and that the local government must reimburse the state for outstanding school bond debt on properties no longer used for school purposes (Education Article §5-308). The three transfer agreements brought before the board are, the department said, older than the new five-year review window established by recent state legislation and therefore require separate agreements before the IAC will release holds on active construction contracts.
The three items approved and the city costs are:
- SB2513252 — Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Pre-K–8, 3750 Green Spring Avenue (2.32-acre site): city assumes unpaid bond debt of $397,569.99.
- SB2513253 — Grove Park Pre-K–8, 5545 Kennison Avenue (5.17-acre site): city assumes unpaid bond debt of $2,832,134.33.
- SB2513255 — Samuel F. B. Morse Elementary, 424–426 South Pulaski Street (1.36-acre site): city assumes unpaid bond debt of $89,874.00.
Comptroller Bill Henry provided historical context, saying the requirement traces to negotiations around the 21st Century Schools program about a decade ago and noting that the city had already been asked, since 2010, to pay off outstanding debt on 20 schools totaling about $10.3 million. He and Director Moxon said the State's IAC pressure this summer — including tying releases to active construction contracts — created the immediate need to act.
Board members discussed the scope of the issue and whether more transfers fall outside the five-year window; Director Moxon said these three were the schools with missing agreements older than five years that required action now. The board treated the three walk-ons as a single discussion, then voted on each item individually; each motion was moved and seconded and approved by voice vote.
No roll-call tallies were recorded in the transcript; the chair called the items and each was approved. The board also adopted the opening statement and routine agenda earlier in the session. The Department of Finance said the payments are one-time obligations that will satisfy the outstanding amounts and allow City Schools construction projects that were placed on hold to proceed.
The board adjourned after approving the three transfer agreements. The next regular meeting of the Board of Estimates is scheduled for Sept. 17, 2025, at 9 a.m.
