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Schools

Schools Moving to Tear Down Allen Playground

But that is just a small piece of the puzzle when it comes to the empty elementary school.

officials are slated to tear down the playground at the , said Mark Donnelly, director of business services.

While it may seem like Fedbruary's mild weather could have lended to a quicker demolition, Donnelly said the ground was still too muddy and wet.

"Trying to get a big piece of heavy equipment in there...could present a problem," he said at Thursday's school board meeting. "So we thought we'd wait until right around this time when it's dry."

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According to a report by a playground inspector and the school's insurance company, the equipment was deemed unsafe, and it would've cost the school $30,000 to fix it.

Bigger Picture

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To George Grozan, of Hunting Meadows, the playground is just a small smudge in a bigger picture of school that has been shut down for nearly two years.

He said he and his wife refinanced their home 11 months ago, and again two months ago, and the price dropped nearly 5 percent, citing fewer homes being sold at lower prices.

"Imagine someone coming to visit a neighborhood to look at a house, and asking their real estate agent where their kids are going to go to school," Grozan said. "The agent tells them the children are going to be bused to another school, and yet Allen has been closed for two years."

Options

Grozan about Allen Elementary back in September.

Since then, Donnelly with five options for the vacant school:

• selling it;

• tearing down the building and playground and leaving it vacant;

• tearing down the building and playground and leasing the land to the city for a park;

• leaving the property as it is and just maintaining it as well as possible;

• consolidating school administrative offices there.

Donnelly said Strongsville Mayor Thomas Perciak is on board with leasing the property and putting in a park, but that would require some formal action from both the board and the city, as well as the money.

Demolishing the building could cost upwards of $300,000 or $400,000, but the district is stuck with a $50,000 monthly utility bill for the school, which is currently being used as storage.

"If the economy state-wide picks up, Gov. (John Kasich) can send more money out through all the different political subdivisions and the city can get a few extra funds next year, maybe they can commit to something," Donnelly said. "But right now, it’s just verbal commitments."

Step-by-Step

Grozan, on behalf of the Hunting Meadows residents, wanted more than a verbal committment from the Board.

"I’m asking the board to work through those options to come up with a plan," he said. "Pass a resolution to show the residents that you are focused on this issue."

Donnelly said a whole host of steps need to be taken before the district will be in any capacity to develop a long-term plan for the former school, starting with tearing down the playground, auctioning off all the loose furnishings and scheduling asbestos abatement and bidding out the contract.

"So until we get closer to the time for different pieces to fall in place, to commit to do something with the limited funds we have, I think it may be premature to do that," Donnelly said.

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