School Board plans vote over NLR land

A proposed land swap between the city of North Little Rock and the North Little Rock School District is expected to be on the agenda for a School Board vote later this month after several weeks of discussion.

The city wants to acquire district properties on Poplar Street — including the district’s administration building and Arkansas Army National Guard Armory that is on land leased from the district — as the site for a new city police and courts building.

In return, the city is offering the school district the existing police and courts buildings on Pershing and Main Streets. Those city buildings are on the north end of the block that is already home to North Little Rock High School.

The school district land borders the Interstates 30 and 40 interchange. The Arkansas Department of Transportation has said it doesn’t anticipate needing any district property to alter that interchange.

Mayor Joe Smith told School Board members that should the Highway Depart ment decide later that it does need some of that right-of-way after the planned land swap has taken place, the city would give any payment to the school district.

District leaders anticipate having to house district administration offices in the police and courts buildings until a time when the district can afford to renovate the Ole Main building at 22nd and Main for a headquarters.

Once the school district agrees to the land swap, the city must work with the Army National Guard to relocate the armory. The city has committed to pay $500,000 for that move, Smith said.