The City of Manitowoc will move forward with purchasing the property of a closed elementary school for $1.00.
The Common Council last night unanimously approved starting the process to create an offer for the Madison Elementary School property, which was given to the Manitowoc Public School District in the 1950s to build the school in the 1st place.
MPSD Superintendent Lee Thennes explained to Seehafernews.com that thriving communities have governments that work together.
Previously, the city had worked with the district, allowing them to acquire Bruce Steinbecker Field.
“We’re in the business of educating kids, not real estate,” the superintendent explained. “We very much believe that the city has all of the tools and its experience in economic development and being a driving force for economic development in our city that they are really the ones in the best position to develop that property to be the best it can be.”
Thennes says he wondered whether the city would be interested in the Madison Elementary property, since the city already owns land next to the school.
He and Manitowoc Mayor Justin Nickels also agreed that having an empty building sitting vacant is not good for the city.
Nickels also says the areas and the neighborhood’s beauty need to be taken into consideration, along with ensuring the taxpayers and the district get something out of the sale.
“I don’t want to ruin the site,” he stated bluntly. “It’s a beautiful area of the city. It’s a beautiful old neighborhood. I’m not looking at putting up 100 condos or 100-unit apartment complex just to get the biggest bang for the buck. I want to respect the area, I want to respect the land, the neighborhood. But we all have to agree, it has to be something more than just an empty parcel.”
Nickels says there could be some form of housing, but the purchase of the land is not meant to be a profit for the city.
However, it does give them a say in property development ideas.
The purchase agreement is now returned to the Manitowoc Public School District Board of Education for possible approval.
They are having a special meeting on April 28th to vote on it. Manitowoc could make a final decision and see possible changes to the property by August.
