Bethesda Country Day School could have competition to lease Alta Vista ES

Bethesda Country Day School is the longstanding tenant at the former Alta Vista Elementary School at 5615 Beech Avenue, and it wants to stay there. But under Montgomery County code, the facility has to be put "on the market" to all possible bidders whose uses would comply with a residential zone.

The county is currently accepting bids through July 24, 2015 from interested parties. BCDS is privately-operated by Nobel Learning Communities, and - according to the Department of General Services - has expressed interest in renewing its lease.

Alta Vista ES is on the Parents' Coalition of Montgomery County's "Unused Public School Sites" list, and the amount of development ahead in Bethesda has many asking how much longer Montgomery County Public Schools can wait to reclaim some of these facilities.

Indeed, whoever wins the use of Alta Vista this time around will have to abide by a termination clause in the lease. That clause stipulates that MCPS can kick the tenant out "at any time during the term" if it becomes needed as a public school again.