The Butler Area School District is closer to selling the former Middle School/Junior High facility.
Monday night the school board approved a motion to authorize the administration to take all actions necessary in order to sell the property by private sale subject to the approval of the Court of Common Pleas.
According to an update from Superintendent Dr. Brian White, a verbal agreement is in place with an unnamed purchaser in the amount of $115,000. That purchaser plans to utilize the 180,000 square foot facility for light industrial use.
Any plan to include a residential component would require approval from Butler City Council as well as the school board. The district currently pays about $200,000 per year in utility costs to maintain the vacant structure and it would cost an estimated $2 million to completely demolish the building.
Once the written agreement has been finalized, the board will take another vote and then the process will move to the court as was procedure when the district sold other buildings several years ago. This review by a judge includes allowing prospective bids from the public.
