The Oak Grove School was built in 1913 and shuttered in 2013 when a replacement was completed. The property sits on five acres, and is valued on the tax rolls at about $5M. Over the past ten years, the Oak Grove neighborhood has sought to participate in the repurposing of this historic neighborhood anchor. However, the city has ignored multiple neighborhood requests for engagement, and has allowed a publicly owned asset to deteriorate. The city has unilaterally declared that the building is beyond repair, without expert validation, and without community participation. The city has agreed to sell the property to a developer at about 20% of its tax appraisal, and without any independent appraisals or competitive bidding as far as we can determine. (Purportedly, the project will provide some affordable housing.) The city’s condemnation of the building is under review by historic preservation authorities, and as of this writing its viability is being explored.
