PORTSMOUTH - The Portsmouth Music and Arts Center may have found a home.

After ruling out a $3 million major renovation project at the Lafayette School, PMAC is hoping to move into Wentworth Elementary School on Granite Street, currently occupied by Exchange City New England. Initially, widespread support exists for the proposal.

"I think it's an outstanding relationship we could build with music and arts community," said Kent LaPage, chairman of the School Board, which heartily endorsed the plan last week. "And I think it would be a great utilization of the building."

The move-in costs would run around $750,000, according to PMAC Executive Director Russ Grazier, Jr., and could happen as soon as September 2008.

PMAC is currently located at a 3,700-square foot building on Albany Street, which required the school to rent classrooms in five other locations to facilitate its growing needs. With four times the available space at the Wentworth School, PMAC will also be able to expand its programs, including introducing a full fledged visual arts program, Grazier said.

"The real value of this building for us is we will be able to put all our programs under one roof," said Grazier.

The long-term plan for the building, according to Grazier, is to share a $2.5 million renovation with Exchange City, which includes constructing a new roof and installing new heating and ventilation systems.

Exchange City is an interactive learning program that has students run a mock city for a day. It occupies less than 40 percent of the 28,000-square foot building, but pays all of the maintenance and utility costs, as well as a rental fee. Executive Director Philip Ross said it can cost the nonprofit organization between $80,000 and $100,000 annually.

"It's a lot, and it obviously doesn't make sense for us to carry the entire building," said Ross. "We are in full support of them coming to the building and sharing it with us. We think it will be a very beneficial relationship for the community."

City Attorney Bob Sullivan said as long as the building is used for an educational purpose, the choice of tenants is at the discretion of the School Board. However, he has not conducted formal discussions with the school or PMAC.