Town Of Davidson To Buy Former School As New Town Facility

DAVIDSON, NC — The Town of Davidson could be one step closer to having a new town hall this week after the advancement of a plan to purchase a former school near downtown to be used as new public facilities.

A proposal to move town offices to the more expansive former IB school property located at 251 South Street has been in the works for more than two years. In late July, the Town of Davidson's Board of Commissioners sought public input for a $16.3 million public facility project under consideration that included renovations to the property.

According to the town’s Open Town Hall website, 89 residents weighed in on the query, 46% of whom supporting the plan.

On Sept. 5, that plan to purchase the property was put into motion after the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners declined its right of first refusal to buy it from the school district. The move enabled its current owner — Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools — to proceed with selling the property to the Town of Davidson for $2.46 million.

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“We believe that it is important to purchase this site so it remains in town control in perpetuity,” Davidson Mayor Rusty Knox said in a statement. “We’ve been working with our partners at CMS and the county for several months and are very pleased with the results.”

The property boasts 33,500-square-feet of space, including a gymnasium, fields and parking.

Now that the purchase has the green light, town officials will be tasked with finalizing plans for its use, which includes options to “renovate the school for town offices and community space or master plan the buildings and entire five acres,” the town said.

SEE ALSO: New Website Aims To Simplify Financial Transparency In Davidson

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