Post by gatormom on Jan 17, 2008 7:06:39 GMT -6
A sigh of relief over site
With high school land picked, Indian Prairie reveals its other options
January 17, 2008
BRITT CARSON
Four options, one big decision.
Administrators have narrowed their choice for locating Metea Valley High School to 87 acres on Eola Road near the Illinois Prairie Path. Now they are awaiting a decision from the Indian Prairie School Board, which could come Tuesday.
After a two-year battle, the district is moving away from the 55 acres of Brach-Brodie property it was seeking in a condemnation lawsuit. A DuPage County jury said the land along 75th Street and the future extension of Commons Drive in Aurora would cost $31 million.
School Superintendent Stephen Daeschner said the property on the northern stretch of Eola Road will cost the district about half that price at $16.5 million.
"Brach-Brodie is a favorable site," Daeschner said. "The price just put that to where we couldn't afford it and would have had to cut back on the school."
Another choice the district considered is the Hamman property along Wolf's Crossing Road and the EJ&E Railroad, far to the south.
"We really liked this site, and it may have been the cheapest," Daeschner said. "The one huge problem was that it resides outside the district."
The site is in the Oswego School District. Daeschner said the red tape involved in the $14 million parcel would also mean a high school could not open until 2010, a year beyond the district's goal.
The last option included 85 acres of property owned by Macom in the Ashwood development along 248th Avenue and Wolf's Crossing. The $17.9 million parcel also had obstacles for the district.
"Paul Lehman (president of Macom) was anxious to sell and the price kept coming down, but it was still a little expensive," Daeschner said. "The other problem was that he doesn't own all the land."
Part of the land was already donated to the Naperville Park District for a park. The School District would have to work out a swap with the Park District and also have to deal with relocating power lines and Wolf's Crossing Road.
In the end, the administration settled on the Eola Road site, owned by St. John African Methodist Episcopal Church in Aurora and Midwest Generation.
The church will retain ownership of 35 acres, while agreeing to sell 49 acres to the School District. The Rev. Jesse Hawkins, senior pastor at the church, declined to comment Wednesday on the proposed sale.
The location also means new school boundaries, something the administration will tackle after the board approves the site, Daeschner said.
"Until the board gives us the land, then we will be ready to react immediately," Daeschner said.
With high school land picked, Indian Prairie reveals its other options
January 17, 2008
BRITT CARSON
Four options, one big decision.
Administrators have narrowed their choice for locating Metea Valley High School to 87 acres on Eola Road near the Illinois Prairie Path. Now they are awaiting a decision from the Indian Prairie School Board, which could come Tuesday.
After a two-year battle, the district is moving away from the 55 acres of Brach-Brodie property it was seeking in a condemnation lawsuit. A DuPage County jury said the land along 75th Street and the future extension of Commons Drive in Aurora would cost $31 million.
School Superintendent Stephen Daeschner said the property on the northern stretch of Eola Road will cost the district about half that price at $16.5 million.
"Brach-Brodie is a favorable site," Daeschner said. "The price just put that to where we couldn't afford it and would have had to cut back on the school."
Another choice the district considered is the Hamman property along Wolf's Crossing Road and the EJ&E Railroad, far to the south.
"We really liked this site, and it may have been the cheapest," Daeschner said. "The one huge problem was that it resides outside the district."
The site is in the Oswego School District. Daeschner said the red tape involved in the $14 million parcel would also mean a high school could not open until 2010, a year beyond the district's goal.
The last option included 85 acres of property owned by Macom in the Ashwood development along 248th Avenue and Wolf's Crossing. The $17.9 million parcel also had obstacles for the district.
"Paul Lehman (president of Macom) was anxious to sell and the price kept coming down, but it was still a little expensive," Daeschner said. "The other problem was that he doesn't own all the land."
Part of the land was already donated to the Naperville Park District for a park. The School District would have to work out a swap with the Park District and also have to deal with relocating power lines and Wolf's Crossing Road.
In the end, the administration settled on the Eola Road site, owned by St. John African Methodist Episcopal Church in Aurora and Midwest Generation.
The church will retain ownership of 35 acres, while agreeing to sell 49 acres to the School District. The Rev. Jesse Hawkins, senior pastor at the church, declined to comment Wednesday on the proposed sale.
The location also means new school boundaries, something the administration will tackle after the board approves the site, Daeschner said.
"Until the board gives us the land, then we will be ready to react immediately," Daeschner said.