Marion City Schools to re-occupy former administrative building

Marion City Schools has announced plans for its former administrative building as a church leasing the 910 East Church Street property moves to its new home.

Liberty Baptist Church, which has leased the building since 2012, is moving to 921 Woodrow Ave. where it will have more room to grow. The Marion City Digital Academy and the district’s print shop will be relocated to East Church Street.

“The school district was very gracious, helped us out tremendously,” said Pastor Chris Braye. He said leasing the property allowed the church to focus on growing its congregation and launch outreach efforts including a faith-based addictions program.

Marion City Schools leased out the building after it consolidated administrative offices into Grant Middle School in 2012. Moving the print shop to East Church Street will allow the district to turn the site behind the Harding Presidents football stadium at Grant into a kitchen for the summer food program. It will also be used as a concession stand, cold and dry food storage area and a restroom facility for the stadium.

The digital academy, which is sponsored by Marion City Schools, will move later this year from its current location in a modular building next to George Washington Elementary School. The aging modular building will be torn down to allow for a driveway to be built between the parking lot and Indiana Avenue.

The driveway will alleviate traffic concerns caused by vehicles entering from and exiting to Pennsylvania Avenue.

The East Church Street building will be a better environment for students who come in during labs and testing. It will also better fit the digital academy’s technology needs.

Pastor Braye said the church’s new building includes a sanctuary that fits about 150 people. He thanked the district for working with the church, including lowering rent payments when the church “ran into a rough patch” earlier this year, as it “started from scratch” and grew.

The church had met in Morrill Hall on the Marion Campus then briefly on Bellefontaine Avenue before moving to East Church Street.

“The district has been good to work with,” Pastor Braye said.

Marion City Schools Superintendent Gary Barber said the district’s been happy to collaborate with the pastor over the past few years.

“We wish them the best as they move to a larger facility and look to grow their congregation,” he said.