Deal off for former school property sale

Staff report

austintown

The old Austintown Middle School property will not be sold to a development company.

The school board Wednesday rescinded the purchase agreement of the Mahoning Avenue property to LRC Realty. The nearly 15-acre property was sold April 24, but LRC Realty decided not to execute the real- estate purchase agreement, according to a news release from the school district.

“The board of education has made several attempts to finalize the situation acting with diligence on behalf of the community,” Superintendent Vince Colaluca said in the release.

The school district has had inquiries and will be accepting offers for the property at 5800 Mahoning Ave. They should be directed to Mal Culp, supervisor of facilities and operations, at 330-797-3900, ext. 2110.

The now-rescinded agreement called for the company to pay $2.5 million for the property.

The 98-year-old former middle school, which originally was a high school, has been vacant since 2007.

This isn’t the first time a deal to buy the property has fallen through.

In 2005, This Land is My Land Ltd. made a deal with the district to purchase the property for $2.6 million, but it never came to fruition.

Then in 2010, the district tried to sell the property at auction, but no one bid.

Because of the building’s age, asbestos abatement will have to be undertaken if it’s demolished.