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Board approves purchase of former Kmart site for workforce center and lease with WVU Medicine for nursing program
Summary
The board authorized the district to exercise its purchase option for the 1287 Winchester Avenue property to house a voter‑approved Workforce & Development Center and approved a lease and sponsorship agreement with WVU Medicine to establish a nursing education footprint within the facility; WVU Medicine will fund the buildout and provide multi‑year sponsorship.
The Berkeley County Schools board approved authorizing the superintendent to complete the purchase option for the former Kmart property at 1287 Winchester Avenue and approved a lease and sponsorship agreement with WVU Medicine to establish a nursing education program within the planned Workforce & Development Center.
Superintendent Dr. Saxs said the property comprises about 10 acres with roughly 120,000 square feet of existing building space and has long been assessed and sold historically in the roughly $5–6 million range; the administration described the negotiated purchase price as reasonable given size, location and redevelopment potential. Acquisition secures a site included in the bond package voters approved in May for workforce development and other projects.
The board also approved a lease with WVU Medicine for approximately 15,000 square feet that, under the proposed agreement, the health system will fully build out at its expense; district staff estimated the partner‑funded buildout at nearly $5 million and noted WVU Medicine’s commitment to provide $150,000 annually to support career and technical education in the facility over an initial 10‑year term (about $1.5 million total).
Board members emphasized the purchase locks in a voter‑approved project while leaving decisions on sequencing bond projects and construction timelines for future deliberations. The administration said the lease would bring external investment that benefits students without adding local capital burden for the buildout.
Next steps include completing the purchase paperwork, beginning planning and design, and coordinating implementation and partner activities for programming in the coming months.
