Junction City City Commission to vote on plan to buy, develop on old Junction City High School property
JUNCTION CITY, Kan. (KSNT) - The Junction City City Commission is expected to vote on a plan to buy and develop the old Junction City High School at its meeting Tuesday night. The property at 900 North Eisenhower Drive in Junction City will be vacant once Geary County School U.S.D. 475 opens the new Junction City High School this fall.
According to the agenda for the meeting, the proposal for the property includes:
- Library
- Indoor Aquatic Center
- Sports Complex & Upgraded Fields
- Walking Trail
- Additional City Parking Lot
- Possible Performance Pavilion
City Manager Allen Dinkel said the district would be responsible for demolishing the old buildings. He said this was budgeted in the bond issue the district used to build the new school.
The picture below is from the proposal. It includes demolishing everything in white. This includes everything on the property except the football stadium and the tennis courts. Dinkel said the football field would be used for youth football or soccer.
The proposal includes no timeline for development. The city is only offering the district one dollar for the property.
If passed, the proposal will go to the Board of Education for approval. U.S.D. 475 Chief Operations Officer David Wild said he imagines the board will reject the proposal.
Wild said he will likely try to negotiate a "trade" with the city for land near the new high school. He said the district is looking at building a new elementary school in the next few years. The district could also decide not to sell the old high school and instead use that site for a new elementary school.
The Junction City City Commission will meet tonight starting at 7:00 p.m. in the Municipal Court building at 701 North Jefferson Street.