Schools Buy Land, But Won't Add Driveway onto Westwood

The Strongsville School District has agreed to buy a 1.38-acre property on Westwood Drive to reconfigure the football field at the new middle school.

Board members agreed in a special meeting Friday morning to purchase the land for $145,000.

Business Manager Mark Donnelly said the district will use the back half of the parcel for the football field, and will eventually sell the house at 19384 Westwood Drive.

The district had hoped to raze the house and install a driveway from the middle school onto Westwood, but nearby residents objected.

"They were big-time against a driveway at the public meeting we had," Donnelly said. "We don't want to upset the neighbors."

Donnelly said he initially looked at a small parcel of land abutting school property as a way to reposition the football field behind Center Middle school into a north-south layout when a new middle school is built on the site.

He approached the owner, who didn't want to give up part of her lot, but agreed to see the whole property.

Donnelly had hoped a driveway would give parents and bus drivers another way out of the parking lot -- other than onto Pearl Road -- or could at least become a walkway for students. 

Instead, the district will keep the house intact and sell it.

"When we sell the house, we'll get some of our cost (of buying the property) back," Donnelly said.