Sunday, January 24, 2010

Local News | High-stakes competition for vacant Seattle elementary school | Seattle Times Newspaper


Local News | High-stakes competition for vacant Seattle elementary school | Seattle Times Newspaper:


"Dusty windows and overgrown weeds are just a couple signs that the school has sat vacant since 2006, when it closed due to shrinking enrollment.

But in recent months, the 1.9-acre site has become the focus of a high-stakes bidding competition.

Four groups are vying for the property on East Republican Street: an African-American church, a neighborhood group, a special-needs school, and the private Bush School next door. All have submitted proposals to the Seattle School Board.

Around the city, many former school buildings are being used as community centers or to house nonprofits. With the MLK site, the board is expected to vote in the next three months, but it faces a thorny decision."