By Brandon Bartlett - bio | email | Twitter
Posted by Sarah Harlan - email
EVANSVILLE, IN (WFIE) - The process to sell some of the EVSC buildings began Monday night.
It's a cost cutting move that school officials hope will save millions of dollars, but is there a market for old school buildings?
"This doesn't show too much planning for the future if you're going to remodel the building and then abandon it," concerned resident Greg Stilwell said.
Stilwell said he doesn't understand why the EVSC would sell some of its buildings, especially North High School.
"I don't see any business that's going to walk up there and want to buy North High School," Stilwell said. "It's too big and it's not laid out for a business. I don't understand the plan."
But EVSC officials said when it comes to saving money, they believe the plan makes a lot of sense, and they're looking to act fast.
The school corporation now has a contract with the Hahn Realty Company.
"They'll help us with any kind of promotion we have to do," EVSC Facilities Director Pat Tuley said. "They'll be the one to be responsible for showing the building to potential buyers and what have you."
But just who would buy a high school or administration building?
School officials think because of its location, the EVSC headquarters could be prime real estate.
"This building right here would probably be a great building for the building authority possibly to use, as it's so close to the courthouse here and if they don't have a need for it, then I just can't imagine that some law firm or appraisal company, somebody who does a lot of business with the city and county would not find this a very useful building," Tuley said.
There are several ways the buildings could be sold.
The EVSC could sell them outright, or by auction or sealed bid.
Tuley said his office has already received a few calls about the selling process.
"At this point in time I wouldn't say that we have anybody that's ready to sign on the doted line yet," Tuley said.
The North High School building won't be up for sale until the new facility is built.
Monday night, the school board also approved a new contract with Welborn Health Plans that school officials said will save the system close to $4 million a year.
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