District Officials Talk Sale Of Closed Schools

Bristol Township School District officials shed more light on the $950,000 agreement of sale for four of the school system’s six closed schools at a public meeting Monday evening.

Several dozen Bristol Township residents came out speak about the agreement of sale for the John Fitch, Abraham Lincoln, Lafayette and Maple Shade elementary school sites that was first reported by LevittownNow.com on Wednesday, September 6. The sales were negotiated with the help of the Bucks County Redevelopment Authority.

The George Washington Elementary School site remains on the market and Clara Barton Elementary School will be turned into an administration, transportation and maintenance hub.

School district officials clarified that three softball fields will be preserved at the Fitch site and shot down early sketches that show a development at the site. The sketches have appeared on social media in recent weeks but are not accurate because they show construction on the ball fields that will be saved, Nober said.

Solicitor David Truelove explained that the sales of Lincoln, Fitch and Lafayette schools and acreage to Renovah Construction Company for $770,000 and the eight-acre Maple Shade property to nonprofit Interfaith Housing Visions for $180,000 are not yet final. He said the district will have to put together paperwork and submit it to a the Bucks County Court of Commons pleas where a judge will make a decision on the sale.

The public will be able to attend the hearings once they are scheduled.

Earlier this month, Board President Angela Nober said Renovah Construction Company indicated they planned to build affordable 55-plus housing at the Lincoln, Fitch and Lafayette properties. At the Maple Shade property, Interfaith Housing Visions has told district officials they aim to break their plan into multiple phases that would include 55-plus housing for low-income residents and possibly a community center and housing for veterans.

On Monday evening, district officials did not lay out further information on proposals and said the developers would have to submit all plans to the township and go through their process before and construction.

Truelove made clear that the district had no ability to force future property owners to build certain types of developments at the school sites and that would sit in the hands of the township and local zoning laws. Nober did state that the district did seek out developers whose vision matched input given by the community over the past two years.

In answering a question from the public, board member Jim Baker said the district looked at handing over at least one of the school properties to Bristol Township or the county for a public space but neither had interest. He added that a recreation center was a great idea but not something the school district should get involved with because their job was to educate students.

District officials explained to the public how the sale price for the sites was determined. Nober and Truelove said each property was appraised twice and the fact the developer would have to abate toxins and demolish the buildings was factored in the price. At one point, Truelove said more information on the appraisals will be available when the sale hits the courts.

School board members said they were presented with information that developing the sites could bring in more than $1 million more in tax revenues per year. The figure is small compared to the cash-strapped district’s $137 million budget but could help lessen future tax increases.

Several residents made it known they opposed any of the green space at the school site being developed. One resident noted the variety of animals and insects that live at Fitch site.

Resident Bill Brecker said he was “blindsided” by the news the schools were to be sold.

“I don’t mind them taking down the buildings or repurposing them,” said Levittown resident Connie Meyers. She added she was against adding large housing developments to the sites.

Numerous residents in attendance said they were planning to attend the Bristol Township Council meeting Thursday evening to make their voices heard before that governing body.