Elyria Schools and city to continue land agreement

The city of Elyria and Elyria City Schools are finalizing the finishing touches of a deal they agreed upon in the spring.

Elyria Schools are to trade three of its old buildings with the city.

In return, the city would give three acres it owns next to the new Northwood Campus on Abbe Road to the school district.

In May, Elyria City Council accepted the three buildings from the schools.

Under Ohio law, Elyria Schools are required to offer a first right of refusal for any buildings for lease or sale to charter schools, college-preparatory boarding schools or any STEM schools that operate within the district.

However, the district can choose to trade its properties with the city for a piece of city-owned property.

During a special Council meeting Sept. 14, members voted to add another piece of property to the deal.

Elyria Law Director Amanda Deery said it was discovered last week by the title company working on the agreement that there’s an additional parcel adjacent to the one next to Northwood Campus.

“As the title work was being done, it was discovered the parcel we were planning to give to the school and the adjacent parcel are pretty much entangled with each other,” Deery said.

The city is set to receive Oakwood, McKinley and Franklin elementary schools.

Oakwood will remain in the city’s possession, while McKinley and Franklin will go to the city’s Community Improvement Corporation, Deery said.

With Council’s approval, Deery said the plan will be set to go forward for final signatures.

“The project is on track,” she said.

The school district is saving around $1.5 million in demolition costs by trading the three buildings with the city.

Crestwood, Prospect and Windsor elementary schools, as well as Northwood Middle, will not be demolished, saving the school district an additional $1.5 million in costs, but the future of those buildings is unclear.