Albert Gallatin seeking auctioneer to sell former school
YORK RUN — The Albert Gallatin Area School District is looking to hire an auctioneer to sell a former Fairchance school building.
The school board agreed at its July meeting to solicit proposals from state-licensed auctioneers to advertise, market and conduct an auction sale of the former A.L. Wilson Elementary School, which closed as a district school in 2008.
The school, located on South Main Street in Fairchance, closed in 2008 when a new A.L. Wilson Elementary opened one mile away on 28 acres of land in Georges Township.
The former school has since been leased to Adelphoi Education Inc. and used as the district’s alternative education program space, said district Superintendent Chris Pegg.
“That would be one less building we would have to maintain and do repairs on and things of that nature if we can get rid of it,” Pegg said of the potential sale.
While Adelphoi had two years remaining on a four-year lease of the school, the nonprofit struck a deal with the school district last month to finish the remainder of the lease at the vacant D. Ferd Swaney Elementary School in York Run.
D. Ferd Swaney Elementary closed in 2016 in a consolidation effort by the district and has since been used as the site of school board meetings.
Pegg said the district hopes an auction sale of former A.L Wilson can reach a wider market than if it were to sell the property by sealed bids or private sale.
“[The board] didn’t mention a target price,” said Pegg. “They’re just hoping to get as much out of it as they can to try to help our budget.”
According to Fayette County online property records, the former A.L. Wilson Elementary property was valued at $1.3 million in the last county-wide assessment in 2003.
Records show that the 16,900-square-foot building, which sits on a 2.93-acre parcel, was constructed in 1960.