What is FCPS doing with the former central office on Lexington’s Main Street?
Editor’s note: “Whatever Happened To” is a Herald-Leader effort to update readers on stories that grabbed headlines and attention with previous coverage. If you want to know the latest on a story from the past, contact us at ask@herald-leader.com.
The Guy S. Potts Building at 701 E. Main St. in Lexington housed Fayette County Public Schools district offices, referred to as the “central office,” from 1970 through 2020.
But about six years ago, FCPS moved its central office, relocating many administrative and other staff to the John D. Price Administration Building at 450 Park Place.
Since that time, the Potts building has housed far fewer staffers, but is still owned by the school system, which in May announced a now-resolved $16 million budget shortfall, depleted contingency fund and ongoing concerns about its financial future.
How is the former central office building being used in 2026?
School district spokesperson Miranda Scully said there are 19 staff occupying the 112,283-square-foot main building at 701 East Main St. It houses one of the district’s family connection centers, as well as offices that oversee migrant education, fine arts and employee wellness.
“Fayette County Public Schools continues to utilize the 701 E. Main Street facility as a hub for student, family, and staff support services,” Scully said, in part. “ While the entire building is not currently used, we are maximizing the available space to house a range of community partnerships, administrative operations, family services, and school support.”
The annex building with an additional 20,739 square feet and Norsworthy Auditorium are not being used.
Another structure on the property, the Ambrose Building, offers 9,210 square feet and houses 11 staff members and services including risk management and safety, and facility design and construction, FCPS reports.
There are no planned changes for how the former Central Office will be used in the future, Scully said, and the property is not for sale.
The Fayette County Property Valuation Administrator’s Office values the Main Street parcel at nearly $13.6 million.
When asked about annual operation costs to maintain the structure, Scully said FCPS has paid $181,292 in energy costs for the buildings over the last 12 months.
History of the Potts building
The East Main Street building first opened in 1928 as Henry Clay High School. At the time, it was the largest city high school in Lexington, according to the FCPS website.
After Henry Clay moved to Fontaine Road, the Main Street facility was renovated for district offices and renamed for Potts, the FCPS superintendent from 1961 to 1984.
Administrative offices moved out in 2020.