School Board Reviewing New $1.75 Million Offer For Closed Schools

The Bristol Township School District is reviewing a proposal from a company registered to Bensalem to sell four closed school buildings.

School Board President Angela Nober confirmed a Bucks County Courier Times report Saturday morning that Progressive Living Units and Systems of Pennsylvania Inc. (PLUS) has sent a letter of intent to purchase the shuttered John Fitch, Abraham Lincoln, George Washington and Lafayette elementary school properties for $1.75 million.

The letter of intent sent to the school district, which was obtained by the newspaper, indicated the company has interest for “age restricted housing or for uses related to the business of providing behavioral health services, both residential and non-residential, and including, without limitation, services to veterans, persons suffering from traumatic brain injuries and other handicapped persons as defined in the Fair Housing Act.”

A number for PLUS listed online was not active Saturday morning and the letter was listed with a Middletown address. LevittownNow.com is working to get in touch with representatives from PLUS, which lists a its company officers at an address in Howell, New Jersey.

Earlier this month, the school board solicitor, David Truelove, said the district was reviewing further information related to the properties. The news came a month after it was announced the district was moving forward with plans to sell the John Fitch, Abraham Lincoln and Lafayette elementary school sites to Renovah Construction Company for $770,000 and also selling Croydon’s Maple Shade Elementary School property to nonprofit Interfaith Housing Visions for $180,000.

In September, district officials said Renovah Construction Company told them they planned to build 55-plus housing. Interfaith Housing Visions had told officials they planned a multi-phase 55-plus development for residents with limited income and possibly a community center.

According to Falls Township meeting minutes, PLUS came before the zoning hearing board earlier this year and asked for a variance to use a Fallsington property as a “recovery home for persons disabled with alcohol and drug addiction disorders.”

In the minutes, Stacy Hill, vice president of operations for Daybreak Treatment Solutions, noted PLUS has been providing group homes for 30 years.

If the district moves forward with selling any of the five school properties, the will have to get the sales approved by the Bucks County Court of Common Pleas.

The previous organizations’ plans for the closed schools drew ire from a vocal group in the community. They had a number of reasons they did not agree with the plans and one uniting point was the low $950,000 combined sales price of the four sites.

District officials explained the sale price offers involved the new owners abating toxins and demolishing the buildings, a costly undertaking. Truelove said the district had each property appraised twice and said new offers were being accepted.

The Clara Barton Elementary School site is slated to become the district’s new administration, maintenance and transportation hub, utilizing its central location along Green Lane.