CPPS buys land for future school
By Terry Murry on Friday, July 30th, 2021 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
COLLEGE PLACE – College Place Public Schools finalized the purchase of nearly 40 acres to be the home for a future school this week. Superintendent Jim Fry announced Thursday the district finalized the deal with landowner Charlie Konen of Konen Properties LLC for a purchase price of $1.6 million dollars. The land is located west of College Avenue.
Fry added the district has been saving for a number of years to prepare itself for the purchase. There will be no additional costs or taxes for the College Place community due to the purchase.
A city sewer project is already underway west of College Avenue across from the school district’s office. The project will bring a new sewer pipeline to a proposed sewer lift station that will provide service to future homes and businesses.
“By purchasing the 40 acres, CPPS has positioned itself to be squarely in the middle of the growth plan and to be able to be a part of creating a community hub for recreation with the new school and adjacent recreational facilities,” Fry said.
The school district expects that the new school could be on the horizon in the next six to ten years. While it is unclear what type of school would be built, with the current facilities in the district, Fry said it would be necessary to evaluate how all three sites would serve the district’s prekindergarten through 12th grade system.
Currently, the district has roughly 12 years left on the bond that provided the community with the new Davis Elementary School, College Place High School and renovated Sager Middle School.
