Plan to demolish most of old ECMS presented to trustees
By BRENDA SOMMER bsommer@leader-news.com

L-N File Photo To Be Leveled The old El Campo Middle School gym, shown here, is slated for demolition if ECISD trustees approve the move next month.

Some buildings at the El Campo Middle School campus on MLK Boulevard likely will be gutted but standing after the district vacates the campus this January.

That was the recommendation of a three-member committee of school board trustees appointed to determine the best strategy for disposing of the flood-prone property.

The "exit strategy" committee, made up of board members Ralph Novosad, La Keta Jo Dennis and Cecil Davis, presented its thoughts on the future of the 17.8-acre campus at the El Campo ISD trustees meeting Tuesday night.

After several meetings and a public hearing, the committee believes the best course of action is to list the property with a real estate agent for a sales price of $250,000. That is considered the fair market value, according to a property appraisal done by Harrison Real Estate in Wharton.

The committee said it would be easier to market the property if the district quickly demolishes buildings A, C, D, E, the field house and concession stand. The older gymnasium at the site would only be demolished if the cost isn't too high, which may not be the case because the building is mostly concrete.

Buildings selected to be gutted are the new gym, cafeteria, Building B, the band hall and shop.

"The rationale for leaving these buildings is because of their construction," the committee's report states. "They have no load-bearing walls and could be gutted and used for equipment or other storage."

The committee also recommends all streets, paved parking, curbs, tennis courts and building slabs be left for either parking or for the district to store equipment. As well, while the committee recommends the football field's bleachers be demolished, it believes the lighting on the field should be left intact.

A demolition completion date of June 1 or earlier is ideal, the report states.

In the bond issued to build the new middle school, $200,000 was included to demolish the old campus. ECISD Superintendent Mark Pool told trustees he'd received a rough demolition cost estimate by phone of $214,000 for the work the committee proposes.

Trustees will decide at next month's board meeting whether to accept the committee's recommendations.

A group called the SOS Evolution Committee asked the board to save the campus, which once was the allblack E.A. Greer High School until desegregation finally took effect during the 1968-69 school year. The middle school is being replaced by a brand-new facility in mid-winter.

But that group never came up with a viable financial plan to back up their efforts.

ECISD trustees have stated repeatedly they have no interest in continued ownership of the campus, or being saddled with a facility they don't need that requires expensive upkeep.

"We just don't want a piece of property we have to maintain for a long time," Novosad said.