Hill School buys 54 acres for $1.5M
LOWER POTTSGROVE >> The Hill School has purchased nearly 54 acres of Brookside Country Club for $1.5 million.
The Hill School, the original owner of the country club land at Adams and Prospect streets, has owned 60.5 acres of the total 149.5-acre property for many years, and has leased The Hill’s portion back to the country club, according to a press release issued by The Hill School after an inquiry by The Mercury.
“Under this agreement, Brookside now will lease the entire property from The Hill, with the exception of one parcel that houses the clubhouse and other structures and improvements. Settlement occurred Friday, Nov. 22,” according to the news release.
Cathy Skitko, senior director of institutional public relations for The Hill School, provided the release after the query, but indicated neither party wanted to disclose the sale price.
However, Montgomery County property records indicate the purchase price was $1,505,000 for 53.89 acres.
Those records also indicate the assessed value of the purchase land is only $451,420 and the appraised value is only $644,880.
All taxes on the property will continue to be paid, according to the release.
The Hill School is tax-exempt as an educational institution and pays no taxes on much of the school campus property it owns in Pottstown borough.
However it does pay property
taxes on faculty housing and other properties, Skitko pointed out in a Thursday afternoon email to The Mercury.
In fiscal year 2019, “Hill voluntarily paid $96,000 in real estate taxes on properties owned on the border of campus (e.g., Walnut, King, High, Chestnut, Beech, and Bailey),” according to Skitko.
She did not immediately respond to a request for the amount of assessed property tax it does not pay for the school campus property.
County property records also indicate the Brookside Country Club property is taxed according to something called a “preferential assessment,” which allows for a lower tax bill for properties preserved as open space.
As a result, the annually property generates tax revenues of about $1,700 for Montgomery County; the same for Lower Pottsgrove Township; and $17,200 for Pottsgrove School District.
In 1998, the club was assessed at nearly $1 million. An appeal in January of 2012 reduced the assessment to $677,740 and court action further lowered the assessment to $451,420 in 2014, according to property records.
“Brookside will use the sale proceeds to make capital improvements that will enhance the facilities,” according to the release.
“The Club will lease the property from The Hill School while continuing to maintain, manage, and operate the course as well as all amenities, including the dining facilities. The Club will also continue to own the Club House,” the release said.
County property records also indicate that in addition to paying for capital improvements, some proceeds of the sale were used to pay off a $150,000 mortgage taken out on the property in 2014 from Univest Bank and Trust Co.
“At some point, The Hill may consider using an unused portion of the land to create a parking area that would help alleviate overflow parking issues experienced when the school hosts major events on campus and at its athletics fields,” according to the release.
The Hill School completed a $6 million renovation to its athletic facilities in 2013 and has, since then, hosted large athletic tournaments over the summer for which finding adequate parking has sometimes been an issue.
“This arrangement is a win-win for the Club and for the town,” James Konnick, president of Brookside Country Club, said in the release.
“Brookside has an historic relationship with The Hill. The sale of the remaining acreage will help us make exciting capital improvements and keep the facility in good hands — preserved as beautiful open space and retained for its purpose as a quality, reasonably priced golf club available to residents of the Pottstown area,” according to Konnick.
“The Hill School is pleased to support Brookside in making this course one of the best in the area,” Rick Wood, chief financial and operating officer and treasurer of the school said in the release. “We believe it is important to our school and the Pottstown community that this beautiful, green space be preserved.”
“We will continue to work collaboratively with Brookside so that it remains a vibrant part of our shared hometown,” Wood added.
The 18-hole golf course and other club facilities have a long relationship through both institution’s histories.
Construction of the original nine-hole course began in 1916, and the course was expanded to 18 holes 36 years later. The course design is credited to architect William Gordon, who built many well-known courses including the Ocean City Golf Club and Williamsburg Country Club.
The Hill School’s golf team has used Brookside’s PGA-member course since the club’s creation. The school’s cross country team also runs on the grounds.