Builder Hopes To Construct 80 To 90 Homes At Former School Site

A Texas-based homebuilder has entered in an agreement of sale with the Bristol Township School District to purchase a former school site.

At their meeting Monday evening, the Bristol Township School Board voted to enter a sale agreement with builder DR Horton, which is among the largest homebuilders in the nation, for the 20.9-acre site Lafayette Elementary School site off Fayette Drive.

In a letter of intent, DR Horton said they aim to build 80 to 90 single-family homes on the property that backs up to county parkland.

The homebuilder have numerous developments underway in New Jersey and would need to get approval from Bristol Township for any plans.

District Business Manager Josh Sweigard said the final sale price depends on a how many homes the builder is approved for by the township. However, the final sale price of the district property is expected to fall between $800,000 and $900,000.

DR Horton’s bid is the best the district has received, Sweigard said.

School board member Gallus Obert was the lone vote opposing the sale of the site. He said after the meeting he believes the district could use the large property to build their own technical high school for students.

A previous offer to buy the site fell through.

Last year, Premium Excavating and Demolition of Falls Township took down the closed Lafayette and Maple Shade elementary schools under a 2018 contract to abate toxic materials and demolish the buildings. 

The school district remains in an agreement with McGrath Homes to sell the 17.5-acre John Fitch Elementary School on Greenbrook Drive, 10-acre Abraham Lincoln Elementary School on Plumtree Drive, and 17-acre George Washington Elementary School for $1.2 million.

The Maple Shade site remains unsold, and the former Clara Barton Elementary School has been converted into the district administration, transportation, and maintenance center.

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