Relocation of District Office


Update on District Office Relocation Planning

After careful consideration, the Davis Joint Unified School District will not move forward at this time with the proposed purchase of 1850 Research Park and the sale of the 526 B Street property in order to relocate the District Office.

Over the past several years, the District evaluated this project as part of its long-term facilities planning. The analysis concluded that relocating administrative offices to a newer, more efficient building could provide long-term operational and financial benefits by reducing future maintenance costs and avoiding significant investment in the aging 526 B Street facility.
While those long-term considerations remain, the Board has determined that now is not the right time to move forward.

The District is committed to exercising caution as it manages current budget challenges, declining enrollment and believes it is appropriate to defer major facilities investments until there is greater certainty around future enrollment, attendance boundaries and long-range facilities planning.

An important factor in this decision is the future of the Davis School for Independent Study (DSIS). The District remains committed to identifying a new permanent home for DSIS, and that planning is closely connected to broader decisions regarding declining enrollment and the state of District facilities. Taking additional time allows those conversations to continue before making decisions about the future of the 526 B Street property.

Although this purchase and the District office relocation are being paused, the District may revisit the effort in the future if financial conditions, enrollment trends and long-term facilities planning improve and the right opportunity presents itself.

Background Information
For the past several years, the District has conducted a comprehensive review of the future of the District Office located at 526 B Street, also known as the Susan B. Anthony building, as part of its long-term facilities planning. The site currently houses the District’s central office, Davis School for Independent Study (DSIS) and the Yolo Solano Center for Teacher Credentialing.

The building, constructed in 1949 and originally designed as a school facility, is the oldest District-owned property and requires significant ongoing maintenance and future investment to remain operational. District facilities assessments estimated that approximately $5–7 million in restricted facilities funds would be needed over the next five years just to address necessary repairs, not including additional costs that would be required to modernize the facility for long-term administrative use.

Based on this analysis, the Board previously considered a plan to sell the 526 B Street property and relocate the District Office to 1850 Research Park, a newer building constructed in 1998. This option was identified as a way to reduce long-term maintenance liabilities, improve energy efficiency and reinvest resources into facilities better suited to District needs.

In preparation for a potential sale, the District completed all required public processes, including declaring the property surplus, obtaining a waiver from the California State Board of Education and working with the City of Davis to rezone the site for housing development. These steps positioned the District to issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the potential public sale of the property.

The broader planning effort also considered how the 2.2-acre site could help address community housing needs while allowing the District to reinvest proceeds into more functional and sustainable facilities.

A key component of this work has also been long-term planning for DSIS. Depending on future enrollment trends and facility availability, DSIS could be relocated to a district campus should one become available, or ultimately be housed in a purpose-built facility if needed.

While the relocation proposal is currently on hold, the analysis and planning completed to date will continue to inform future facilities decisions as the District evaluates enrollment trends, boundary considerations and long-term operational needs.