The Observation Deck

Bryan Schwegler wrote:Of course we'd lose a huge chunk of public green space in the middle of the city. .........
If they're going through that trouble, then just go back to renovating/rebuilding on the Grant site. My personal opinion is Grant should be kept anyway with or instead of Lincoln. But we already know where that's at for now unfortunately.

The City wouldn't need to lose green space if the new school were built on the site of the Plaza.

Here is how I see it:

If we need to close one elementary school we should close Lincoln. Lincoln requires more money for renovation than Grant, is farther from the center of town and has a much smaller foot print.

If:

Enrollment continues to increase then we need both Grant and Lincoln.

If:

We close Grant and enrollment continues to decline and we must close ANOTHER elementary school the system will be unbalanced; some areas will be very from an elementary school. Keeping Grant will at least give us a central elementary school.

If:

Enrollment increases for a few years and then begins to decline again we will be faced the prospect of closing a new elementary school before it is even paid for.

A new elementary school at Kaufman would:

Be big enough to handle the increase in enrollment.
Be small enough to be economical if enrollment declines.
Be across from the libary next to a very large park in the center of town which would open up a lot of opportunities for after school programing. It could be a money maker.

The replacement of Drug Mart Plaza with a new school would Increase the value of the vacant properties near Bunts making it more likely to be developed.

Trading the site of Grant, Lincoln and Taft for Kaufman Park would keep those sites available for development instead of forcing theie sale to a charter school.

There are a lot of other variations or possiblities but the very worst solution is to close Grant and rehab Lincoln.

Bill, first, the city nor the schools own the plaza to build on it.

Second, why would the city need to trade Kaufmann Park if the schools were just to build on the plaza site?

I'm not a fan of the city trading away the largest amount of green space in the center of the city to put a school on it. It should remain open as a park for all citizens. We will never be able to replace that space once it's given away.

Bryan Schwegler wrote:Bill, first, the city nor the schools own the plaza to build on it.

Second, why would the city need to trade Kaufmann Park if the schools were just to build on the plaza site?

The Plaza is in foreclosure. It's true value is substanitally less than the mortgage. The schools could buy the site directly from the bank.

Kaufman Park would remain a park. The City would gain the Grant site, the Lincoln site and the Taft site in exchange for the land at Kaufman. During the George years the City agreed to sell Kaufman Park for $2 million. The value of the school property is probably in that range. But in this case the City still has a park.

The exchange would keep charter schools from taking over the empty school buildings.

The schools could negotiate for a portion of the sale price of those sites if the sites are sold by the City. There are a lot of possibilites.

A new school at Kaufman would open up a lot of development opportunities which would increase the income available to the schools and the City. The potential developments would benefit the entire City.

In addition to the economic benefits a new school at Kaufman would offer greater flexibility to the schools in an uncertain economic environment.

As of now the plan is to close Grant and rehab Lincoln. The worst solution.

Bill Call wrote:
Kaufman Park would remain a park. The City would gain the Grant site, the Lincoln site and the Taft site in exchange for the land at Kaufman. During the George years the City agreed to sell Kaufman Park for $2 million. The value of the school property is probably in that range. But in this case the City still has a park.

Two problems.

First, who says the schools would keep it a park?
Second, even if they do, then I'm sure there will be all kind of restrictions on who, when, and how people can use it since it will now be a school property.

Personally, I prefer it to remain truly in the public's hands as city property. If charter schools are such a threat to the school district, they'll happily transfer the old buildings to the city without the need to swap it for such a valuable city asset that can never be replaced once it's lost.