New Life for Allen Elementary, at Least the Outside

The city will lease the grounds outside closed Allen Elementary School for more recreation fields.

City Council and the School Board have agreed on a $1-a-year lease so the Strongsville Recreation Department can use the baseball diamond and other property for youth sports.

Assistant Recreation Director Chris Arold said he believes the city will split up the rest of the property for other fields, possibly lacrosse and soccer.

School Board President Jennifer Sinisgalli called the lease "a win-win situation" -- the city gets more recreation space and, in exchange, will maintain the property.

 The lease runs for one year, but renews automatically if neither side objects. It calls for the city to regularly remove all trash and maintain the area. 

The city is allowed to make improvements to the property, as long as the school board agreed. The city will have no use of the unoccupied school building.