The Phoenixville Area School District Board voted Thursday to purchase the Meadow Brook Country Club property. The plan is to build a new early learning center and an elementary school on the site.
The PASD issued the following press release following the vote:
The Phoenixville Area School District voted this evening to move forward in acquiring the Meadow Brook Golf Course property for the purpose of constructing a new elementary school and early learning center. The District has been engaged in conversations with the Meadow Brook Golf Course Owners for several years regarding the purchase of the property. Although the Owners have expressed a desire to sell the property, their asking price is more than double the appraised value of $3.725 million. The District is committed to paying a fair price for the property, but it has a fiduciary responsibility to every taxpayer in the District to avoid overpaying.
With rising enrollment and aging buildings, the District has a clear need for new facilities, and has been involved in an active search for an appropriate property for some time. The initial search identified 95 potential properties. Using defined criteria, and extensive research, the list was narrowed to two properties. The other property under consideration was thoroughly considered, but the potential open-ended costs of building on the property made it unfeasible. Meadow Brook’s proximity to the secondary campus, and the size of the property, make it ideal for this project. It allows the District to consolidate its facilities and lessen the impact of development on the surrounding community by utilizing shared resources between the adjoining properties.
Within the past few months, the District substantially increased its original offer in an effort to negotiate a sale. While the Meadow Brook Golf Course Owners have confirmed their wish to sell the property to the District, they have been unwilling to move from their original asking price, which is more than double the appraised value.
The District has a pressing need for additional property based on its growing enrollment and aging facilities. The District has exhausted the viable properties within its boundaries, and has reached a stalemate in the negotiations with the Meadow Brook Golf Course Owners. Although the Meadow Brook Owners are willing to sell, the District believes that their asking price is far in excess of fair value. As a last resort, the District is pursuing the condemnation process in order to acquire the Meadow Brook property in accordance with the law. The condemnation process, also referred to as eminent domain, provides both parties with an impartial process for determining fair value through the judicial system. The process ensures that the Owners will be paid a fair price for their property, which in this case, they have been trying to sell.
Please visit www.pasd.com for more information, including the powerpoint presentation shown at the Board meeting.
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