Former OHS classroom items up for bids

How much does a memory cost?

In the case of the former Owatonna High School, that’s up to the bidders.

The first of three public online auctions is open now; a preview and open house at the school will be held from 2-6 p.m. Sept. 6.

That’s when community members and other bidders are invited to walk through the classrooms, hallways, and basement of the 1921 building – the oldest building on the campus.

People will also be able to walk through the A and B plazas one last time and preview items for the first auction. All other areas will be blocked off.

The final online bidding process for the first auction will begin at 9 a.m. Sept. 7.

It may take from now until then to review them all – there are about 1,500 items on the block, said Bret Walters, a sales representative with Grafe Auction, which is handling all three events.

“We start small, then work up,” he said of the process of emptying a huge facility. “We try to keep the excitement growing and growing; the fun part of the auction is it gives you a true market value of what it is that day.”

Grafe Auction, based in Stewartville, has handled auctions for multiple schools, restaurants, office buildings, supermarkets, and industrial complexes.

“On something like this, we start in the classrooms,” Walters said, but not before school district has its say.

“It was the high school teachers and administration” who had first dibs on what they’d like to keep, said Lori Buegler, communications specialist for Owatonna Public Schools.

“Then principals from other schools in the district were able to go through and take what they wanted,” she said.

Finally, “we have a 40-foot shipping container that’s going to Tanzania,” Buegler said, filled with classroom items like desks and chairs, and sponsored by the Early Edition Rotary Club.

From the start, though, “we work together on this,” Walters said. District officials “go through and mark the items that are going to the new school. Everything that we inventoried (for the auctions) went back to the school district first, then to the public. That’s part of everybody working together.”

He estimated that 85% of the school’s contents are gone.

“What’s left is stuff that’s older, with not a huge use, so the quickest, cleanest way is to have an auction,” Walters said. “They want to get on to the next step (of repurposing some of the buildings), and the nice part is, it’ll still be school-related.”

He’s seen firsthand the need for a new high school.

“This older side has structural issues,” Walters said, “and you hate to see it, but it’s time. The things that are happening here – the gym is staying; this site’s not going away.

“Life changes,” he said. “The world changes, and school districts are starting to keep up with that. This is an older school, and something needed to happen.”

The first auction includes classroom-related items such as desks, chairs, décor, and smart boards with technology that’s no longer compatible with newer equipment. They are perfect for smaller districts, or those for whom the technology matches. If nothing else, the equipment can be used for parts.

The Amish or Mennonite are also often interested in school auctions, Walters said, and repurposing items.

“Something like this, they can buy it and slide it right in to use at their schools,” he said.

There will also be items from a small maintenance division, as well as stoves and refrigerators from the Family and Consumer Science department.

“There’s stuff that may go to recycling,” Walters said, “but our goal is to sell it all out and bring as much money as we can back to the district, so it can be used within the district.”

Still, he recognizes that there is sentimental value to be considered.

“There’s a lot of history here,” Walters said. “The people that grew up in the area, that have been here – there’s stuff being sold that they can bid on. We’re doing it to help the district; that’s what it comes down to.”

He, too, has memories of OHS. “I remember wrestling over here,” he said. “I really enjoyed it.”

All items start at zero, with no minimum bids. “Whatever it sells for, it sells for,” Walters said.

Because of that, he couldn’t provide an estimate of what might be raised, dollar-wise.

To place an online bid, go to grafeauction.com, and click on “what’s for sale.” The Owatonna School will be one of the options.

All bids, taxes, removal, and shipping information are listed there, as well as the terms of sale and, eventually, bidders’ invoices.

Once the first auction is over, bidders will need to make an appointment for removal of the items they’ve won.

“You can bring your own tools or group to help remove it,” Walters said, “or you can hire the people onsite to help you remove and load it.”

The timing of the second and third preview open houses – and the accompanying online auctions – has not been released.