Lima schools sells Roosevelt, family housing possible

LIMA - The former Roosevelt School building could be turned into family housing in the future.

The Lima City school board approved Thursday selling the property at 1608 W. Spring St. for $30,000 to George and Gayla Properties.

Treasurer Ryan Stechschulte said the out-of-state company has said Roosevelt will either be used as an investment property or to lease out to someone wanting to turn it into multifamily residential housing. The sale will be final within 30 days.

The property is appraised at $150,000. Stechschulte said it would cost the district $750,000 to install a new needed heating system and put a new roof on the 1923 building.

"The district does not have the financial resources to conduct the improvements and then maintain the building," he said.

Roosevelt, which sits on 1.7 acres of land, had been used by St. Charles Borromeo Primary School for the past 10 years, but pupils and staff have moved into a new addition at the elementary school.

Stechschulte said the sale does not change the district's financial needs. It has a renewal levy on in November and will likely need to go to voters for new money in the future. Two levies have failed.

"It is a one-time revenue increase for the school year and we will be able to use that to provide better educational opportunities for our students, but it does not affect the finances of the district," he said.

The district tried to auction both Roosevelt and the Academy of Learning last month with little interest. Since, there has been one other offer on Roosevelt and none on the other property.

The Academy of Learning, 522 W. North St., is still for sale. Built in 1977, it is appraised at $420,000. The district paid $275,000 for it in 1998. The building houses staff offices and is used for school board meetings, professional development and other meetings.

Selling the Academy of Learning would reduce the district's operating costs by $21,000. The amount is far less for Roosevelt because the district is not using the building, Stechschulte said.