Providence City Council Rejects Lease for Lauro Building

News Summary

The Providence City Council voted against a proposed lease of the Carl G. Lauro building to Excel Academy, sparking public outcry over lost educational opportunities. Council President Rachel Miller shifted her stance, highlighting community needs. This marks the second failure to lease the property to a charter school in two years, as concerns over financial implications and educational resources grow.

Providence – The Providence City Council voted 8-4 against a proposed lease of the city-owned Carl G. Lauro building to Excel Academy during a heated session on July 24. This decision was met with significant public outcry, particularly from advocates for educational opportunities in the area.

The Carl G. Lauro building, located at 99 Kenyon St., was previously home to the Carl G. Lauro Elementary School until its closure in 2023 due to age and other deteriorating conditions. Excel Academy, a charter school situated in North Providence, recently received state authorization to expand its operations. The original proposal would have allowed the academy to occupy half of the building while designating the other half as swing space for the Providence Public School District, with a lease extending until June 2030.

Council President Rachel Miller changed her initial support for the lease just a day before the vote, indicating that the arrangement did not serve the best interests of the surrounding neighborhood or the city overall. Miller emphasized the importance of public spaces aligning with community needs and suggested initiating a collaborative effort to find a more beneficial solution.

This vote represents the second time in two years that the city council has rejected leasing the property to a charter school. Local advocacy groups responded with disappointment. Some pointed out the lost potential for enhancing educational resources that could benefit children and families in the city. The Rhode Island Education Collective characterized the council’s decision as neglectful of community feedback and detrimental to planned investments exceeding $80 million, which included efforts for neighborhood improvement.

Initially, Mayor Brett P. Smiley’s administration negotiated a lease agreement with Excel Academy that included a pledge for at least $14.3 million in renovations to the facility. However, members of the council raised serious reservations about the implications of a long-term lease that could effectively restrict a public asset’s availability for up to 65 years, thereby limiting the city’s ability to adapt if educational priorities should change in the future.

Financial concerns also played a critical role in the decision. The proposed lease included a minimal rent adjustment from $1 to $7.50 per square foot, yet some councilors worried about potential financial losses to the city, given delays in revenue generation through this leasing structure. Furthermore, there are fears that charter schools might siphon essential funding away from traditional public schools, which could lead to fewer resources and a decline in education quality for students remaining in those schools. The current funding formula for Rhode Island suggests that public schools may face significant financial cuts when students transfer to charter institutions.

Public attendance during the meeting was notably high, with numerous families advocating for charter school options. The President of the Providence School Board also urged the city to consider repurposing the building to meet immediate needs within the school district instead of leasing it to charter schools. Amidst these discussions, Mayor Smiley’s administration was reportedly surprised by Miller’s rapid reversal on the lease decision, indicating that conversations around the topic had developed amid a broader discussion about the roles of charter versus traditional public schools.

Among parents, there is a growing sense of urgency regarding educational choices for their children. Concerns were raised about the implications for future schooling options, particularly after Excel Academy’s setback. Meanwhile, the city now faces recurring costs associated with the upkeep of the vacant property, which are estimated at around $300,000 each year.

This vote and its implications will continue to reverberate throughout the city, impacting both current and future educational landscapes in Providence.

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Additional Resources

• Providence Business News
• Rhode Island Current
• Boston Globe
• Wikipedia: Charter School
• Google Search: Providence charter school lease