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Lake Zurich 95 dedicates new administration building

Lake Zurich Unit District 95 dedicated its new administration building to local developer John Sfire and his family at a ceremony Thursday afternoon.

"John has consistently been one of the biggest supporters of 95," school board president Doug Goldberg said to the gathered crowd outside of The Sfire Family Education Center. "Frankly we would not be here today without John's support."

Sfire's company, Fidelity Investments, owns the building, which used to be a Sears Hardware, and renovated the old store to suit the district's needs.

Sfire said it was a very humbling experience to be honored by the district. "Thank you so much for recognizing the family because this isn't a one man job," Sfire said in front of the crowd of around 50 people.

U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam, a Wheaton Republican, was among the speakers to praise the Sfires for all they have done for Lake Zurich and the surrounding area.

"I think that we've got just a great lesson for us today and a great example among us today," Roskam said, referring to John and his wife, Bobbi Sfire. "That these dear friends have been greatly blessed and in that blessing they are in turn blessing others."

After the speeches, the crowd got to tour the new facility. The center is large enough to house the district's administrative offices as well as the district's tech support staff and has room to spare to store important district records and equipment. The old administrative center, at 400 S. Old Rand Road, had several hallways lined with filing cabinets and other storage and was cramped by comparison.

Superintendent Kain Osburn said perhaps the greatest asset that the new space provided the district was a large meeting space that it can use to train teachers and staff.

"We have over 500 certified staff members," Osburn said.

"To train them regularly in a way that keeps them up to date requires a lot of space."

Before the new center the district tried to meet that space need by conducting training at school buildings or in off-site rented spaces that weren't suited for the task.

The large space is also being used for school board meetings.

Under the deal approved by the school board late last year, the district will pay $26,083 per month in rent until April 2024, at which point it will have the option to buy the building for an additional $2 million.

District 95 estimated that construction of a new building that would provide what the Sears Hardware building will offer would cost around $5.9 million.

  Lake Zurich 95 superintendent Kain Osburn addresses the crowd at the public open house for the new Sfire Family Education Center at 832 S. Rand Road Thursday evening. Doug T. Graham/dgraham@dailyherald.com
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