Central Elementary School on market

Sylvania school board lists property at $2.9M

Editor's note: This version corrects the amount of the top bid received for the building at the July 18 auction.

The shuttered Central Elementary School at Central Avenue and King Road in Sylvania.

After rejecting several bids received at a public auction held for the former Central Elementary School last month, the Sylvania School Board has decided to list the the property with a real estate agency for $2.9 million.

As per Superintendent Brad Rieger’s recommendation, school board members unanimously voted today to list the 13-acre property at 3364 and 3124 King Road with Re/Max Preferred Associates. Mr. Rieger expected the listing to be published as soon as possible.

The school district hosted an auction on July 18 to sell the property as is. After discussing several offers behind the closed doors of executive session, board members rejected them, including a top bid of $1.15 million, as accepting it would be considered a “disservice to the taxpayers,” Board Vice President Jim Nusbaum said at that time. Mr. Nusbaum was absent at tonight’s meeting.

About 40 people attended the auction, a mix of city and township officials, real-estate professionals, and curious residents. Board members and administration had set a reserve bid during the sale held by Amlin Auction on the school grounds. However, Mr. Rieger said he could not comment on what the set reserve amount was.

He said that there have been interested parties in the site since the auction, but could not divulge who they were or if they were private companies. There are no plans to separate the two parcels of land, he said. The school’s vacated building is at 3124 King Road, on about 5.2 acres.

The property was used as an educational classroom as far back as 1926. Sylvania Schools spokesman Nancy Crandell said historical notes show that a brick structure used for schooling was opened to the public circa 1929.

The school closed its doors in 2012, with the opening of the new Central Trail Elementary School on Mitchaw Road. 

Contact Natalie Trusso Cafarello at: 419-206-0356 or ntrusso@theblade.com.