Deadline passes for Sumner School purchase
5:15 p.m. Friday, September 5, 2008
Community First signed a contract to buy the Sumner School building from the city last October. The deadline for Community First to come up with the money was May 31. That deadline was extended until today.
Community First did meet its 5 p.m. deadline to file a proposal, but didn't come up with all the money needed to fund the project.
Community First member Sandy Lassiter said her group is not ready to throw in the towel, even though Community First wasn't able to come up with the $3.5 million needed to renovate the building. Community First was able to collect $50,000 in donations and another million in tax credits.
Sumner timeline
Last October, Community First signed a contract to buy the Sumner School building from the city.
The deadline for Community First to come up with the $3.5 million was May 31.
Later, the city council extended the deadline until today.
"We've had a number of statements made to us if you owned the building, if you owned the building then we would give our monies," Lassiter said.
But that money was needed up front to buy the building.
City spokesman Dave Bevens said this "is a hard and fast deadline. The other deadline was hard and fast as well, but the city decided to extend it."
The goal was to turn the rundown building back into a school, community center and senior center. The building has sat vacant for at least a decade and has been hit by vandals.
Back in May, Sumner School was put on a national list of endangered historical buildings. Now its fate is in the hands of the city.
"There is a possibility that we'll look at other alternatives rather than going through the RFP process and auctions of course is one of those options," Bevens said.
Deputy City Manager Randy Speaker will get a first look at Community First's proposal Monday. The administration will make a recommendation to city council members, who have the ultimate say.
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