LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Greater Clark County Schools is looking to purchase a combined 46 acres of property to build a new middle school.
Thursday night the district hosted a "Q and A" session for feedback on its latest proposal which includes purchasing two neighboring properties; the previously considered 26-acres along Utica-Sellersburg and New Chapel Roads, and the former Twilight Golf Course.
Last week, Greater Clark County Schools board of education voted to give administration permission to pursue purchasing the former golf course.
Both purchase agreements are contingent on the City of Jeffersonville approving a change to the properties current zoning. The Utica-Sellersburg and New Chapel Roads property is zoned for residential use. The former golf course is zoned for commercial use. Both need to change to institutional for the purchase to move forward.
"We're committed to finding a new site for a new middle school. This site will not work for us," said superintendent Mark Laughner. "There's a lot of issues in terms of the size of this site, but also the traffic pattern."
The City of Jeffersonville rejected the school's request to re-zone the Utica-Sellersburg and New Chapel Roads property after neighbors expressed concerns over traffic and moving a middle school away from downtown a few weeks ago.
The proposed site is about six miles away from Parkview Middle School.
Laughner said demographic data shows the student population will continue to grow further north of Parkview's current site.
"It's still in the city of Jeffersonville, but it's going to be in the center of growth of the city," Laughner said.
The school district wants to collaborate more with the city for its next request.
"Last time we were a little rushed just working through things, so we want to take our time and make sure everyone understands what we're trying to accomplish there," Laughner said.
The school district will still need to return to the city council with updated plans and ask for a zoning change for both properties.
The district didn't have any designs or layouts for how the new school could look on the campus that would be more than 40 acres.
Laughner said the estimated cost to build a new middle school will be around $60 million.
Related Stories:
- GCCS continues effort to build new middle school in southern Indiana
- Jeffersonville City Council votes against GCCS request to rezone 26 acres for new middle school
- GCCS proposes plan to relocate and rebuild Parkview Middle School
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