District signs contract for land for new IL school

Lancaster County school board took another major step toward construction of a new elementary school in Indian Land this weekend by signing a contract to buy property on Harrisburg Road.
The development comes seven months after the school board approved $1.5 million in this year’s budget to fund site selection for the estimated $15.1 million project.
The 26.5-acre property is about a mile and a half north of S.C. 160 across the road from the BridgeHampton neighborhood.
School board members unanimously approved the $1.1 million purchase from former Indian Land County Council and school board member Stanley Smith during the board’s annual planning session this weekend.
“I think it’s great news,” said  Lancaster County School District Superintendent Dr. Gene Moore. “This really kind of continues to move us forward in the process to get a new school built in Indian Land to relieve overcrowding in the current school.”
Moore said the board is considering architects to lead the project, a process that could be completed as early as this month.
With months of planning, state-mandated studies and other requirements on the horizon, it may be late in the year before work can begin, Moore said, though opening should be consistent with the district’s original timeline.
“I’m thinking with about a year and a half construction time puts us opening about the 2014-15 school year,” he said.
Indian Land school board member Don McCorkle said the property, located in an area recommended by an independent consultant based on current and future growth, was the best of three nearby sites up for consideration by the board.
The area where the property is located has a good existing water and sewage infrastructure and is not as heavily wooded as the other properties, McCorkle said, two factors that should cut down on construction costs.
The site should also allow plenty of access for parents dropping their children off for school on their ways to work, a far different situation from the one at Indian Land Elementary, McCorkle said.
The fact that the board was able to buy the property for about $300,000 to $400,000 less than its appraised value, only added to the property’s appeal, McCorkle said.
“We had a 100 percent enthusiastic response from the board members,” he said. “It’s a fantastic location for every reason that I can think of. I don’t think we could have picked a better piece of land.”

photo courtesy of DON McCorkle

This 26.5-acre property on Harrisburg Road will be the site of Indian Land’s second elementary school. It is about 1.5 miles north of S.C. 160 (Fort Mill Highway) and across the road from the BridgeHampton neighborhood. Lancaster County school board members unanimously approved the $1.1 million purchase from Stan Smith, a former member of the school board and Lancaster County Council, during the board’s planning session this weekend.

This map hows the site chosen for Indian Land's second elementary school.

Clarification: District land buy not yet finalized
The article above requires additional clarification concerning the purchase contract.
While the school district did sign a $1.1 million purchase contract for a 26.5-acre property on Harrisburg Road as reported, certain contractual obligations must be met successfully before the purchase moves forward to closing.
The obligations include state- and S.C. Department of Education-mandated prerequisites, such as soil testing, traffic and flood studies, site inspections and approvals, among others.  
Lancaster County School District Chief Financial Officer Tony Walker said the district paid a $60,000 retainer on the property with the contract signing that locks in the price.
Walker said once the requirements are met, the sale will go through as planned.