Turf war over # 6 School sale

A classic battle of wills and interests between a big development corporation and grass roots community activists is playing out in the homes and streets of Woodmere as a business faces off with homeowners over the future of Lawrence School District 15’s Number Six School property.

The 6.7-acre site with an 80,170 square foot building stands on the corner of Branch and Peninsula boulevards in Woodmere. The elementary school, built in 1963, was closed due to declining enrollment and has been vacant since March 2009. The sprawling, tan L-shaped two-story structure abuts its paddle ball courts, a grassy baseball field and a playground with climbing structures for children.

The school board weighed bids for the property from Shulamith school, the Jewish Community Center, the Hebrew Academy of Long Beach and others, ultimately accepting the highest offer from Simone Development based in Mt. Vernon, New York, a commercial and residential real estate investment and development company. The company has plans to lease the building to Mount Sinai Hospital for use as a multi-specialty medical practice.

Four members of the school board, termed the real estate committee, reviewed the bids and presented their analysis to the seven-member board.

On January 14th, the board voted to approve an agreement to sell the property, 4 to 2, one member was absent, to Simone, subject to a public referendum to be held on March 20th. If the sale is rejected, the process starts all over again and bids have to be resubmitted; new bids can be submitted as well.