The County Commission on Wednesday approved the $8 million purchase of the former Cigna headquarters on Goodwin Road in East Brainerd for use as an elementary school.
The deal comes with 19 acres and with an office building full of furniture. The office includes 98,562 square feet.
Justin Witt of the county schools said it is expected to cost $15 million to $20 million to convert the office for school use.
County Mayor Weston Wamp said the agreement worked out earlier called for the county to pay for the purchase and for the schools to fund the remodeling.
The Cigna headquarters was built in 1990 and renovated in 2020. It is LEED certified. It includes 700 parking spaces.
The purchase was from Empire Communities, which plans to develop the remainder of the 95-acre property with a variety of residential, office and commercial.
Casting the only no vote was Warren Mackey, who said the building was not large enough and would be filled with students when it opened.