Selectmen to negotiate lease with church for West Broad Street School
Stonington — The town will begin negotiations with St. Michael Church and School in Pawcatuck to lease the vacant West Broad Street School for the next three to five years.
The Board of Selectmen unanimously approved a recommendation by the town Facilities Committee to proceed with negotiating the lease.
The 120-year-old school became vacant earlier this year, when students and staff moved to the renovated and expanded West Vine Street School. The committee has been studying the future of the building.
Committee member Chris Donahue read a letter from the committee which stated that the plan of Rev. Dennis Perkins, the church’s pastor, is to occupy the school for the 2019-20 school year.
The committee stated that leasing the school over the short term will ensure it will not remain vacant, will be maintained and will require minimal investment by the town. It also is possible St. Michael could begin to upgrade the school.
“This certainly seems compatible with the neighborhood and what the neighbors want to see,” Selectman John Prue said.
Donahue said the committee will continue exploring other long-term options for the school as well as uses for the school administration building in Old Mystic, which will become vacant in October, when administrators will move to the vacated Pawcatuck Middle School.
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