ACTION REQUESTED:
Title
Communication from the City Manager with a Request to Approve the Sale of 839 W. MOSS AVE to MONTESSORI CHILDREN'S HOUSE OF PEORIA and Authorize the City Manager to Draft and Execute the Purchase Contract (District 2).
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BACKGROUND: Since the fall of 2013, the City of Peoria has been partnering with Peoria Public Schools District 150 to sell District-owned property at 839 W. Moss Ave., often referred to as Old Washington School. This building last served as the District's Alternative Education facility, but ceased operating as such at the conclusion of the 2010-2011 school year. The District has declared it as "excess property" and has been seeking a buyer for the last few years. At the request of the City, District 150 agreed to transfer the property to the City so it could create a public Request for Proposal (RFP) process that would both provide the District with at least its asking price of $150,000 and ensure that the new owner of the property used it in a manner consistent with the residential character of the surrounding neighborhood.
In October 2013 the City released its first RFP on this project. While the process yielded one proposal, that proposal was withdrawn before a purchase contract could be finalized. In March 2014 the City re-released its RFP with a deadline of June 13, 2014. The City received two proposals, one of which was subsequently withdrawn. The remaining proposal is from the Montessori Children's Home of Peoria (MCHP). MCHP has offered to purchase the property for $150,000 (meeting the District's minimum asking price). They intend to use the building as it was intended when built, as a school. Starting in the 2015-2016 school year, MCHP intends to operate its K-6 school in the facility. Their proposal is attached. They plan to make some modest improvements to the buildings and grounds and would hope to eventually expand their program offerings to higher grades. In the first few years, t...
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