Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - The Rochester School District is moving ahead with the purchase of the former Globe University and Minnesota School of Business building in northwest Rochester.

A spokesperson says the district has agreed to pay $5.1 million dollars for the property, which it plans to use for pre-Kindergarten programs. The 40,000+ square foot building, which is located behind the car dealerships along Highway 52, has enough room for 16 pre-K classrooms, which are currently spread across various elementary school sites in Rochester. Another 17 pre-K classrooms are located in the former Burr Oak Elementary School building along Marion Road Southeast, which is now known as the Mighty Oaks Early Learning Center.

School officials hope to bring estimates on the costs of renovating the new building for use as an early learning center to the school board in late March or early April, and close on the purchase of the property at the end of May. If all goes as planned, the school district hopes to begin using the building early next year.

The Minnesota-based for-profit college that operated inside the building closed in December after the federal government ruled it could not participate in the student loan program.

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