Post by gatormom on Oct 2, 2007 5:24:32 GMT -6
Land options open to Dist. 204
Developer says alternative site for school still available
October 2, 2007
By BRITT CARSON Staff writer
As Indian Prairie School District 204 board members discussed the next step for a third high school, a local developer re-iterated his offer for an alternate site for the school is still on the table.
Paul Lehman, president of Macom Corp., had talked with the district in 2006 about selling the district land in his Ashwood Development for Metea Valley High School.
However, the district said it wasn't interested in Lehman's offer due to several factors, including that he had already promised part of the land to the Naperville Park District for a park.
Cost of land
Brach-Brodie land: $518,000 an acre
Alternative site in Ashwood development offer in January: $334,000 an acre
Neither party has recently discussed the proposal, but when contacted Monday Lehman said his door remains open.
"We have not pursued anything with the school district or anything regarding putting a school on that site since the election last April, but if you are asking if the door is closed, then the answer is no," Lehman said. "We are willing to talk with the school district if they want to contact us, just like any other buyers that are willing to talk with us."
The land is at 95th Street and Wolf's Crossing Road at the northern end of Ashwood.
Board members held a special meeting Monday to discuss their options as the price per acre of land for Metea came in more than twice what they projected at $518,000 an acre. The board filed a condemnation lawsuit for 55 acres of the Brach-Brodie property along 75th Street and the future extension of Commons Drive in Aurora. The district already owns the adjacent 25 acres to the 55 they are seeking.
"The board met this evening with staff and some of our advisers," board President Mark Metzger said. "In the course of those discussions the board has reaffirmed the districts' need for a third high school and is committed to building the third high school and delivering a seventh middle school at the same time."
Metzger said the board intends to deliver the project without seeking additional funds from taxpayers and is further committed to staying within the available revenue for the project.
Those funds include bond proceeds, interest to be generated over the life of the project, and land cash donation contributions from land developers, he said.
In 2006, voters approved a $124.6 million referendum to fund the purchase of the land and construction of 3,000-seat Metea Valley. The school is to include all the amenities of it's sister schools, Waubonsie and Neuqua Valley high schools including a swimming pool and football stadium.
Bruce Glawe, school board member, said in January, Lehman had offered $334,000 an acre for the site. At the time, the district had offered $257,500 an acre for the Brach-Brodie land and was hoping a jury would determine the price per acre in that price range.
The district has 30 days to act on the Brach-Brodie land. They also have the option to appeal the jury's price, but have yet to make a decision on whether to appeal.
With the land prices coming in higher than expected and construction on a tight schedule to make a fall 2009 opening date, the board met in executive session with administrators Monday for more than two hours to go over the school's budget and their options.
A handful of residents attended the meeting, including one that stood outside the Howard Crouse Education Center with a sign that said "No growth, no school," challenging the district's enrollment figures and need for a third high school.
School board members have said in the past there were many problems with Lehman's offer including redrawing boundaries, a grueling process the board went through before the last referendum so residents would know which school their child would attend.
The Ashwood development has been slow in developing and under the new boundaries students from that area are slated to attend Waubonsie Valley High School. Under Lehman's proposal Ashwood students would attend the new school.
Peterson Elementary School was built to accommodate mainly students from the Ashwood development. However, due to the slow growth, the 850-student school sat empty for a year and opened this fall after the students and staff from Wheatland Elementary School were moved to Peterson.
In the meantime, Lehman said he is moving ahead with building town homes on the site and not actively touting his offer anymore.
"Is the door closed? No," Lehman said.
Developer says alternative site for school still available
October 2, 2007
By BRITT CARSON Staff writer
As Indian Prairie School District 204 board members discussed the next step for a third high school, a local developer re-iterated his offer for an alternate site for the school is still on the table.
Paul Lehman, president of Macom Corp., had talked with the district in 2006 about selling the district land in his Ashwood Development for Metea Valley High School.
However, the district said it wasn't interested in Lehman's offer due to several factors, including that he had already promised part of the land to the Naperville Park District for a park.
Cost of land
Brach-Brodie land: $518,000 an acre
Alternative site in Ashwood development offer in January: $334,000 an acre
Neither party has recently discussed the proposal, but when contacted Monday Lehman said his door remains open.
"We have not pursued anything with the school district or anything regarding putting a school on that site since the election last April, but if you are asking if the door is closed, then the answer is no," Lehman said. "We are willing to talk with the school district if they want to contact us, just like any other buyers that are willing to talk with us."
The land is at 95th Street and Wolf's Crossing Road at the northern end of Ashwood.
Board members held a special meeting Monday to discuss their options as the price per acre of land for Metea came in more than twice what they projected at $518,000 an acre. The board filed a condemnation lawsuit for 55 acres of the Brach-Brodie property along 75th Street and the future extension of Commons Drive in Aurora. The district already owns the adjacent 25 acres to the 55 they are seeking.
"The board met this evening with staff and some of our advisers," board President Mark Metzger said. "In the course of those discussions the board has reaffirmed the districts' need for a third high school and is committed to building the third high school and delivering a seventh middle school at the same time."
Metzger said the board intends to deliver the project without seeking additional funds from taxpayers and is further committed to staying within the available revenue for the project.
Those funds include bond proceeds, interest to be generated over the life of the project, and land cash donation contributions from land developers, he said.
In 2006, voters approved a $124.6 million referendum to fund the purchase of the land and construction of 3,000-seat Metea Valley. The school is to include all the amenities of it's sister schools, Waubonsie and Neuqua Valley high schools including a swimming pool and football stadium.
Bruce Glawe, school board member, said in January, Lehman had offered $334,000 an acre for the site. At the time, the district had offered $257,500 an acre for the Brach-Brodie land and was hoping a jury would determine the price per acre in that price range.
The district has 30 days to act on the Brach-Brodie land. They also have the option to appeal the jury's price, but have yet to make a decision on whether to appeal.
With the land prices coming in higher than expected and construction on a tight schedule to make a fall 2009 opening date, the board met in executive session with administrators Monday for more than two hours to go over the school's budget and their options.
A handful of residents attended the meeting, including one that stood outside the Howard Crouse Education Center with a sign that said "No growth, no school," challenging the district's enrollment figures and need for a third high school.
School board members have said in the past there were many problems with Lehman's offer including redrawing boundaries, a grueling process the board went through before the last referendum so residents would know which school their child would attend.
The Ashwood development has been slow in developing and under the new boundaries students from that area are slated to attend Waubonsie Valley High School. Under Lehman's proposal Ashwood students would attend the new school.
Peterson Elementary School was built to accommodate mainly students from the Ashwood development. However, due to the slow growth, the 850-student school sat empty for a year and opened this fall after the students and staff from Wheatland Elementary School were moved to Peterson.
In the meantime, Lehman said he is moving ahead with building town homes on the site and not actively touting his offer anymore.
"Is the door closed? No," Lehman said.
