The Virginian-Pilot
©
VIRGINIA BEACH
For two years, the future of Kellam High School was in limbo as a closed-door committee sought a place to rebuild. The 108-acre site chosen Tuesday would allow the city's first new high school in nearly a decade to move forward.
The site, at the corner of West Neck and North Landing roads, was once destined for an upscale housing development known as Manchester Station. Not far from the Municipal Center, the land is more than triple the size of the current high school property on Holland Road.
The joint city/schools site selection committee recommended paying a negotiated price of $8.1 million to the owners, the Suffolk-based Overton Family Partnership. The land is assessed at $10.4 million, but an appraisal ordered by the school division came in at $3.9 million.
Committee chairwoman and School Board Vice Chairwoman Rita Sweet Bellitto said buying now could save the school division millions.
"One of the silver linings of the recession is that we're getting a good price for building schools," she said.
If the School Board approves the purchase as expected at their Jan. 5 meeting, construction could begin in spring 2011 and students could move as early as January 2014, said Tony Arnold, facilities director for Beach schools.
The site is the best of the eight considered to replace Kellam, he said, which serves the southeastern portion of the city. The 518-acre Brown Farm, off North Landing Road and owned by L.M. Sandler & Sons, also was a top contender.
Al Henley, a committee member who also sits on the Planning Commission, cast one of two votes against the recommendation. He said he wanted to see more information on the Brown Farm property.
"When you're talking about millions of dollars of taxpayers' money on the table, you need to have the best information you can," he said. City manager Jim Spore cast the other "no" among seven voting members.
The Manchester Station land already has water, sewer, storm management and road frontage, and leaves enough room for open space.
No houses or access roads were ever built for the development, which would have had 108 houses and was approved by the city in 2004.
The current Kellam was ranked first on a list of school building priorities in a 2007 assessment. Built in 1962, it has inadequate playing fields and will lose a parking lot to the Nimmo Parkway extension next year.
"It's been a long time coming," said Virginia Beach Education Association President Dominic Melito, who taught at Kellam for 19 years. "I thought I'd never see it."
The current Kellam would be used as temporary space for students from Princess Anne Middle School when their new school is under construction and could later serve the same purpose for Princess Anne High School, Arnold said.
The school division has already set aside $20.7 million to purchase land, plan and design a new Kellam.
Lauren Roth, (757) 222-5133, lauren.roth@pilotonline.com
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Take an Active Role in SB Decisions...Attend a Meeting
I personally have no problem with building a new Kellam. However, when the Renaissance Academy was proposed, one suggestion was to renovate KHS for the RA students and build an new KHS. But it was rejected by a majority of the SB. What they spend on property is a separate issue.
This also comes on the heels of a request by gifted parents to build a new $63M school. This week the school division turned the heat down and told teachers to tell students to "wear layers" to cut expenses.
The VBCPS CFO, in a recent letter to the editor, bragged how the schools have cut staff and spent stimulus money. Now there's an investigation the V-P should initiate.
But what really is distressing is that very few, if any, posters have been to SB meetings to protest any of these initiatives or to advocate for children. The SB, especially the Chair, thinks the public is happy with the job they are doing.
flight path
I guess a school makes more sense than 108 new homes under the flight path between Oceana and Fentress. I dont care what the aicuz maps say-the area considered is a high noise area.
Sad How I'm No Longer Suprised
It really is sad how I am no longer suprised by the actions of the officials of the City of Virginia Beach. So they are in a recession and have already laid off employees, are now talking about more layoffs, and their remaining employees haven't had raises in years and cannot even afford to live in the city for which they work. Unbelievable. So where is the money going to come from to widen the roads of Northlanding and Princess Anne? Not that Holland Rd doesn't currently have issues with traffic and congestion during school start and end times, but putting it essentially in the same complex as the Municipal Center is going to be worse. Can't this wait until you can atleast pay your employees?
I think most are missing the point here.
I think most are missing the point here. Ask yourself, why is the City and the School Board spending millions on a project that can wait? The funds used for this and other building projects should help balance the next budget. The City and the School Board are crying poor mouth that they may be over 80 million short next year. Virginia Beach citizens can wait on the pork projects. The School Board currently has over 80 million invested in two new schools being built now. Great Neck Middle and Virginia Beach Middle.
Ah....
There is a factual indication of our real estate tax system in the city.
An assed value of 10.4 million while the appraised value is just 3.9 million. A variance of 10-20% is understandable but a difference of more than 2 1/2 times - unbelievable. The city would only pay the 3.9 if this was a takeover due to emminent domain.
Ah....
There is a factual indication of our real estate tax system in the city.
An assed value of 10.4 million while the appraised value is just 3.9 million. A variance of 10-20% is understandable but a difference of more than 2 1/2 times - unbelievable. The city would only pay the 3.9 if this was a takeover due to emminent domain.
If I owned the property
If the city real estate assessment has been 10.4 mil then how can a schools come up with an appraisal of 3.9 mil. I guess the city has been overpricing the property ( like everyone elses ) to fatten up their coffers. If I owned this property and I'd been paying taxes on 10.4 mil then no way am I going to accept the schools appraisal. 8.1 mil, I hate to say, would be fair for the property owner.
can't win
If the city used its condemnation authority so as to not spend more than "fair market value," most folks on here would scream about the heavy hand of government violating property rights, etc. When the city negotiates a purchase, many of the same folks complain about the city paying too much.
Well the proposed purchase price
IS too much based on the appraised value - but, hey, it's OUR tax dollars they are spending - so they don't have to worry - they'll just tax us more
40+ Million Budget Shortfall?
Didn't I just read the school system has a 40+ million dollar shortfall yet we have 8 million to buy this land? What is the point of buying land and building a school if your net going to staff it?
VP: you need to look into this mixed message...