Council committee advances Excel Academy lease for vacant Providence school building; vote sends measure to full council without recommendation

A Providence City Council committee voted to send a resolution to the full council authorizing the mayor to enter a lease agreement with Excel Academy for a currently vacant school building. The committee’s procedural vote was recorded as five ayes and the measure advanced to the full council “without recommendation” as amended.

Key terms presented in committee: the lease covers an initial 35-year term with potential for three 10-year renewals. Under the agreement Excel would undertake capital improvements credited against rent (committee materials projected roughly $14,300,000 in capital investment over the initial term and a separate $1,300,000 in work on shared middle‑school space). The first five years would split space among Providence Public School District (PPSD) swing-space needs, shared middle‑school space and Excel operations; Excel’s early capital work would…