Gilbert Public Schools has agreed to sell the former Neely Traditional Academy campus to the Town of Gilbert for $6.85 million.
The Governing Board last week approved the cash sale of the 13.6-acre property near Elliot and Gilbert roads. Town Council is scheduled to vote on the deal on Tuesday, Dec. 14.
The acquisition will support the construction of the Vaughn Avenue Ventilator project, create new ingress and egress for improved circulation, access for pedestrian-oriented, mixed-use development, and address storm-water retention needs in the Heritage District, according to Town spokeswoman Jennifer Harrison.
The money for the property will come out of the town general funds.
The 2018 Heritage District Redevelopment plan spells out essential public amenities and infrastructure improvements that need to be made in order to stimulate market demand downtown.
Gilbert in 1989 designated the .3-square-mile Heritage District as a redevelopment area in order to revitalize the downtown. Today, the downtown is a designation draw with more than 20 restaurants and other amenities.
The Vaughn Avenue Ventilator project will help alleviate traffic congestion in the Heritage District.
The project will extend Vaughn Avenue west from its existing dead-end to run parallel with the Union Pacific Railroad track until it connects to Neely Street. The extension is expected to take pressure off of Gilbert Road, the only main road that is the entrance and exit for the downtown.
The Vaughn Ventilator also is expected to help with retail development in the Heritage District Core by bringing in more traffic trips.
Gilbert Road is reaching maximum capacity with the average daily traffic increasing significantly due to local and regional commuters using it as a route to and from US 60 and to major destinations in the Heritage District and the surrounding areas, according to town officials.
The project was included for funding in the $515-million bond voters approved in November and is in the Capital Improvement plan for fiscal year 2023.
GPS officials said they obtained two appraisals on the Neely site and the $6.85-million sale price equals the higher estimate.
The site has sat vacant since May after the board made the cost-cutting decision in March to relocate the students and staff to the campus formally housing Houston Elementary School.
Houston was shut down due to low enrollment and its students were given the choice instead of attending Neely or Burk Elementary, which also had low enrollment.
While Burk and Houston have experienced declining student head count, Neely’s enrollment has been steady and often has a waiting list for some grades, according to GPS.
It made sense for GPS to relocate the Neely to Houston, which has the largest campus in the western portion of the district.
Additionally, the district determined that if students and staff remained at Neely, the aging campus would need $3 million in renovations over the next five years.
