Journal-News.com

HAMILTON — Not scheduled for demolition until June 2010, plans for the Pierce Elementary School site already are in the works.

Hamilton City School District's Board of Education voted Tuesday, Feb. 24, to approve an option agreement to sell the 4.7-acre site to the city.

The proposal is scheduled to come before the Hamilton City Council tonight.

No municipal funds will be used, said City Manager Mark Brandenburger. The city is "acting only as a conduit" and plans to enter into a development agreement with Neighborhood Housing Services, which would pay the $296,000 purchase price to the district, officials said.

The housing organization will partner with developer Miller-Valentine, and plans are to build an "affordable, senior-housing development, which will include a ... community room for the public" as well as a playground, said Lorie Batdorf, NHS executive director.

"It's a great opportunity for the city to improve the property and a good opportunity for us to receive money to offset some of our land acquisition costs," said board member Larry Bowling.

The option extends until June 2010 in order to accommodate the use of the school building until its demolition.

The second step — an offer to purchase between the city and NHS — will be presented for the City Council's consideration at a later meeting, say city officials.

Pierce Elementary will serve as a transition school in the 2009-10 school year.

Over the next two years, elementary students will attend new buildings in the district currently under construction.

Bridgeport, Linden, Ridgeway and Fairwood schools are scheduled to open Aug. 27.

Site work on Phase II schools — Brookwood, Crawford Woods, Highland and Riverview — is on schedule, said Jim Boerke, district director of planning, operations and construction management, and will open in the fall of 2010.

Contact this report

e

r at (513) 820-2158 or

lebbing@coxohio.com.