Posted: 4:47 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2015

Church makes top bid to buy former Middletown school building

By Rick McCrabb

Staff Writer

MIDDLETOWN — 

    The pastor of a Middletown church made one thing loud and clear: He doesn’t want to get into the school business.

    But Berachah Baptist Church wants to expand and create more opportunities for residents in areas of community health and wellness, arts and education, service agency outreach, neighborhood assistance and partnering with the Middletown City Schools District, the Rev. Lamar Ferrell told the school board Monday night.

    The church was the highest bidder at a live auction last month for the former Verity Middle School property, 1900 Johns Road, and the nearly 60 acres that surround the building. Berachah bid $293,000 for all three parcels, $3,000 more than the Middletown Arts Association, said George Long, district business manager. The property was appraised at $740,000, he said.

     By selling the property, the district says it will save $330,000 — the cost of demolition — and that money can be spent renovating Middletown High School and building a middle school, Long said. He said if the school was demolished, the 60 acres would be appraised at $250,000.

Ferrell made a 20-minute presentation during Monday’s meeting, then board members went into a 30-minute executive session. When members returned, board President Marcia Andrew announced a decision on the property would be made at the next meeting on Jan. 26.

    After the meeting, several of the board members hugged and congratulated Ferrell, leaving him optimistic, he said.

Andrew said she had hoped the bids would have been higher, though she didn’t have a specific amount in mind. She couldn’t predict if board members would vote to approve the sale of the school to the church, she said.

    She called the church’s plans to renovate the school “a positive thing to serve a lot of our students could be beneficial for community as a whole … nice to hear that kind of positive plan.”

    Berachah is trying to buy a former school building at the same time a similar sale is raising concern in Monroe. Last fall, the future of the former Lemon Monroe High School became a controversial and divisive issue in the community as some wanted to see the former building sold to the First Church of God for $1 in exchange for the church to renovate, redevelop and demolish portions of the building.

     It also resulted in the American Humanist Association’s legal arm threatening a lawsuit citing a possible church and state violation and a North Carolina humanist offering to purchase the land to be used for public use. A group of residents created a committee, Since 1871, to oppose the proposed sale because they said public land should stay in public control.

    There was another proposal for the board to transfer the property to the city that would demolish the building and redevelop the 29-acre parcel. City officials started a brownfield study to see if Monroe could obtain a low-interest loan to address the brownfield or environmental issues in the building.

After a number of meetings, the board opted to reject all of the proposals.

    Ferrell said restoration of the former Verity School, which closed in 2012 as a way to reduce $5 million from the district’s budget, is estimated at $1.6 million, meaning the total investment will be about $1.9 million. Berachah has secured a feasibility study and master site plan from the McKnight Group, a Grove City-based company, and the church is ready to move ahead with construction, Ferrell said.

    Berachah has been approved for financing through American Saving Bank and the church, which worships in Middletown High School, is debt free, he stressed. He said the capital campaign is called Overflow and the first offering is set for April 12. The goal is to raise $700,000 over the next three years, he said.

    Ferrell said the renovating and re-purposing of the property will be the “catalyst allowing us to bless this community more powerful than ever before.” He called the property “a hub and we want to add some spokes. We are very excited.”

The plans call for a 1,000-seat sanctuary to be built on the front of the school that faces Breiel Boulevard. Ferrell said the property would be used to serve the community in numerous ways, including seasonal outreach at Freedom Court, summer lunch program, Vacation Bible School, community health clinic, Red Cross classes, children’s summer theatre, after-school mentoring, community rooms, Upward Sports, practice fields and Elley’s Hope Playground, designated for children with disabilities, at nearby Lefferson Park.

    “This is what we are going to do,” the reverend said slowly, stressing every word.

He encouraged the board to approve the sale to Berachah because of the church’s strong track record. He said through the church’s Hands & Feet ministry, 60 Middletown homes have been renovated in the last seven years, and five international projects have been completed.

Years ago, the board faced a similar decision on the former Lincoln School on Central Avenue. The school has housed various businesses over the years, but residents have criticized the overall appearance of the building and the property. Ferrell guaranteed that Verity wouldn’t become another eyesore in the city.

    “We all want to make Middletown better,” said Ferrell, who added that while some are running from the city, the church and its members are running toward the city.

    Forty-two was an important number, Ferrell said. He wondered what the city will look like 42 years from now in 2057, 100 years after Middletown was named an All-American City. Ferrell joked he may not be alive then — he’ll be 99 — but he wants the city to be a better place for his two children and any possible grandchildren.

    “We are all in,” he said. “We are here to bless. The best is yet to come.”

BY THE NUMBERS

$7,000: Bid for the 20 acres in the back of the property

$217,000: Bid for the school building and the 40 acres

$293,000: Bid for the school and the entire property

$290,000: Second highest bid

$330,000: What the district says it will save in demolition costs

$740,000: Appraised value of the property

$1.6 million: Estimated restoration cost of the property

SOURCES: Middletown City School District and Berachah Baptist Church