GISD, DPS enter lease for former admin building

Gonzales Independent School District (GISD) has announced a new partnership with the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) and the Division of Highway Patrol. The GISD Board of Trustees approved a contract to lease the GISD property located at 1711 N. Sarah DeWitt Drive.

The property, which is adjacent to the Gonzales High School, was previously used as storage space for GISD and prior to that was the former administration building until admin moved into the former East Avenue campus in 2021.

In September, officials from the Texas DPS and the Division of Highway Patrol toured the building to see if it was suitable for their department, which is being forced to move out of the Gonzales County Annex due to a need to rehabilitate that structure.

After several months of negotiation and coming to an agreement, both parties settled on Texas DPS and the Division of Highway Patrol paying to lease the facility at 75 cents per square foot for 10 years, plus the cost of utilities and services, with an escalation clause for each year after the first.

The Gonzales Central Appraisal District lists the building, which was built in 1986, as having 4,550 square feet. It was formerly owned by American National Bank and has a market taxable value of $1,108,350 — $737,260 for the building and $371,090 for the land.

The lease agreement will not only generate revenue for the GISD, but also provide increased safety and security for the students and staff at Gonzales High School. The presence of the Texas DPS and the Division of Highway Patrol officers near the school will deter potential threats and enhance the response time in case of emergencies.

GISD Superintendent Dr. Elmer Avellenada expressed his satisfaction with the partnership by saying, “We are very pleased to have the Texas DPS and the Division of Highway Patrol as our neighbors and partners. This is a win-win situation for both the GISD and the state agencies. We are confident that this will improve the safety and security of our school community and foster a positive relationship between the law enforcement and the public.”