Brandon Twp.- At a cost of $500,000, the Brandon School Board is considering the purchase of about 23 acres just north of Leece Road along Oakwood Road, for the construction of a new elementary school. The building project will include a 62,000 square-foot building to replace the aging H.T. Burt Elementary School, a soccer field, softball diamond, playgrounds and natural areas as outlined in the recent $73 million district bond extension OK’d by voters earlier this year.
Tom Miller, Brandon Superintendent, announced the plans to purchase the property, currently owned by the Tucker Investment Co. LLC, during the school board meeting on Nov. 13 at H.T. Burt Elementary School.
‘The Oakwood Road property was one of five locations selected by the district for the new elementary school,? said Miller. ‘This property, however, met the criteria we were looking for, which included access to a hard surface road, a building site that passes perk standards, natural gas availability and potential for sewers if available.?
A letter was issued by the school board to homeowners along the fringe of the Oakwood Road property regarding the intent of the district. Three of the area property owners attended the meeting and expressed concern regarding the property, including the curves in Oakwood Road where the property is located.
‘Oakwood Road is a truck route,? said Fran Van Huysse, whose property adjoins the school site. ‘I’m concerned about the safety of the buses and cars along the curves in Oakwood Road.?
Miller responded to the safety concerns of the curves in the section of Oakwood Road by requesting the board table the purchase of the property until a complete safety study by traffic engineers can be conducted.