Jacksonville school district is buying a downtown building that has been used for its Transitional Adult Program and Crossroads Learning Center.

The school board approved the purchase of property at 30 N. Central Park Plaza on Wednesday. It will pay $450,000 to the James R. Cook and Eva Jean Cook Revocable Living Trust instead of renewing the district’s lease. 

Superintendent Steve Ptacek said the district has had an agreement in place for 10 years. However, the rent for the space was set to increase with a lease renewal.

“We’ve been spending $45,000 a year on rent and that was going up to $51,000,” Ptacek said. 

The district will make the purchase in one payment that will come from the district’s fund balance. 

Though it requires a large payment, Ptacek said the purchase will reduce the district’s overall annual costs.

“It will reduce our annual costs, especially as it was set to increase to $51,000,” Ptacek said. 

The district has been leasing the space from the James R. Cook and Eva Jean Cook Revocable Living Trust since 2016, when it established Crossroads Learning Center to provide services for students who need alternative educational placement.

The school allows students to receive educational services outside their neighborhood schools and decreases the amount of time administrators spend on disciplinary cases during the day. The center is also a central location for some of the district’s traveling staff, such as a social worker and school psychologists.

The building also provides space for the district’s Transitional Adult Program, which provides vocational training and skill-building for students with disabilities.

The program focuses on students aged 18 to 21 and works on building independent living, vocational and functional life skills. 

Students in the program operate the Crimson Corner, which sells coffee, tea and spirit wear from 7:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on school days when students are present.

Ptacek said the programs will no longer have to worry about moving if the lease is not renewed.

“This purchase will solidify our TAP and CLC programs moving forward,” Ptacek said.