The district consists of a combination of owned and leased properties. The Department of Real Estate’s mission is to ensure that CPS utilizes property in a way that: (1) supports and benefits schools and educational programming; (2) serves the needs of the community; and (3) if possible, generates income for schools. CPS also strives to maximize the use of all real estate assets and minimize property rentals. To that end, the goal when planning and designing a space in response to an identified need is to prioritize existing CPS facility and site solutions over solutions that may necessitate the lease of space or acquisition of land.
When the use of an existing CPS site is not feasible, the site selection process should be led by the CPS Department of Real Estate in conjunction with the Department of Capital Planning and Construction. Pre-planning and planning activities should be conducted to evaluate the proposed site(s) by the Capital Department in order to inform the site selection process. Upon selecting a site, a more thorough scope development should be conducted by a design manager or architect to ensure that the project is compliant with the zoning and building code and aligns with CPS design guidelines.