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[[Image:Birmingham Board of Education Building.jpg|center|thumb|575px|The Birmingham Board of Education Building in September 2010]]
The '''Birmingham Board of Education Administration Building''' is the headquarters for the [[Birmingham Board of Education]]. It is located at 2015 [[Park Place]], facing [[Linn Park]] and adjacent to [[20th Street North]].  It was built in [[1965]] and has not undergone significant changes since that time.

The board acquired the property by condemnation in [[1959]]. At the time, landowner [[Ella Lee Smith]] petitioned state courts to issue an injunction against the board. Her attorneys contended that the powers of condemnation granted to the board were only to be used for school facilities, not administrative buildings.

The headquarters property is considered a prime location and has attracted inquiries from developers. Beginning in [[2004]] the City of [[Birmingham]] has made four requests for the Board to sell the property to the city. At that time an Orlando developer was [[Westin Grand Bohemian|proposing a luxury hotel at the site]]. The issue was raised again in early [[2007]] when the city agreed to fund teacher buyouts to help bail out the system. Since taking office in November of that year, Mayor [[Larry Langford]] has twice requested the property, currently valued at $6 million, in exchange for the board's debts to the city. Board President [[W. J. Maye]] has rejected each request.

A complaint against the Board of Education's lack of compliance with 1990's Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was filed by [[Birmingham City Council]]woman [[Miriam Witherspoon]] in [[2008]]. The board commissioned a preliminary compliance report from [[Evan Terry Associates]] which documented dozens of violations. Although no formal cost estimates have been made, the board expects that it would cost $2- to $3 million to make the repairs.

==References==
* Leech, Marie (July 18, 2008) "Costly renovations needed to make Birmingham Board of Education office accessible to disabled people."  {{BN}}
* Bryant, Joseph D. (June 4, 2008) "Langford, Smitherman want Birmingham Board of Education property - again." {{BN}}
* "[http://bplonline.cdmhost.com/u?/p4017coll2,697 Suit against school board to be appealed]" (January 28, 1959) {{BN}} - accessed June 4, 2008 via Birmingham Public Library Digital Collections.

==External links==
{{Locate address|address=2015+Park+Pl|zoom=17|type=h}}

[[Category:Birmingham Board of Education]]
[[Category:Park Place]]
[[Category:20th Street North]]
[[Category:1965 buildings]]