District 112 Wants to Buy West Ridge Property

North Shore School District 112 officials are trying to acquire the West Ridge property adjacent to the planned middle school campus at the site of Red Oak and Sherwood elementary schools.

According to a District statement, the acquisition would held develop fields and green space and alleviate traffic problems at the site, which will school all fifth through eighth graders in the district if voters approve a referendum that will likely be on the ballot in 2016.

District 112 has asked the Highland Park Park District - the current owners of the West Ridge property - to enter a written agreement this month that would allow the sale of the property for $3,958,000. This would be contingent, however, on the Board’s actions to place a referendum regarding reconfiguration on the ballot and voters approving the measure.

The deal, if agreed on, will allow the Park District to use the West Ridge School for five years after the sale of the property and the school’s Green Bay building for another five years to facilitate the transition.

The school’s proposal includes a 10-year extension of intergovernmental agreement that would allow rent-free use of each other’s facilities. The school also asks the parks to rescind their request to terminate a previously proposed memorandum of understanding.

“It is our intent to remain in dialogue with the Park District to achieve a mutually acceptable solution that advances the interest of all parties, and to move forward with the planning for our proposed middle school campus even if we are unable to reach an agreement to purchase the West Ridge property.”

In a media statement, the school also dismissed the possibility of swapping its Green Bay building for the West Ridge property, noting the higher assessed value of the Green Bay building.