SBCSC's newest committee decides what will happen to vacant schools

 

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- A new committee within the South Bend School Board of Trustees is figuring out what to do with the now, five South Bend Schools facilities that are closed and vacant.

The Disposition Committee only had its third meeting Monday night, but already has some leads on how a few of the old school buildings could be transformed or demolished.

Members of the committee encourage community members to show up and speak out on what they want to see happen with the vacant buildings that could still provide use.

"This committee started out of a resolution that was passed last year by the school board trustees to start on the demolishing of some of our old buildings," explained the Chair of the SBCSC Disposition Committee, Leslie Wesley.

Demolishing isn't the end-all-be-all though, Wesley and the two fellow school board members on the disposition committee want to see life fill old school buildings once again.

So far, only one of five vacant South Bend schools are in talks of demolition.

The old Marquette Montessori, which has been standing since the 1930's and vacant for nearly 20 years, will need to go through approval from the Historic Preservation Commission or the South Bend Common Council for demolition.

The other two properties, Greene Intermediate and Eggleston Elementary, will be hitting the commercial real estate market within the coming weeks.

"Any sale of the properties, Greene or Eggleston that will go on the market for 30 days, will have to get the approval by the school board of trustees," Wesley says.

Then comes into question the two newest additions to the list of vacant South Bend Schools, Warren Elementary School and Clay High School.

The district is in the midst of litigation with the Indiana Department of Education who recently ruled the district must make the Clay High building available to charter school Career Academy for $1.

While attempting to appeal that decision, whether they'll continue to have control of the Clay High building is up in the air, but for now, the choice of what to use both buildings for in the long run could be as simple as a good idea shared at a disposition committee meeting.

"We wanted to start the committee so we could open it up to the public to come out and share their ideas of what they'd like to see with some of our buildings that are under-utilized," says Wesley.

The committee will be hosting roundtable discussions for community members at its next meeting.

Details will be announced at the next school board meeting on September 4th.