City of Avon Lake seeks purchase of former Erieview Elementary to repurpose as community center

The city of Avon Lake seeks to purchase the former Erieview Elementary School, 32630 Electric Blvd., from Avon Lake City Schools for $500,000, with payments deferred until January 2027, according to a news release.

The purchase is pending approval by the Avon Lake Schools Board of Education and Avon Lake City Council, and the completion of a facility assessment conducted by the city through a third party, the release said.

If the purchase is approved, the city plans to repurpose the Erieview facility as a community center for enhanced and expanded recreational programming for all ages, social services and community meeting spaces, according to the release.

Opened in 1951, Erieview Elementary was closed after the 2024-25 school year as part of an Avon Lake Schools plan to consolidate buildings and reduce operating costs.

“The Erieview facility presents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the city to enhance services to the community and breathe new life into a space that holds a special place in our history,” said Avon Lake Mayor Mark Spaetzel in the release. “We have limited space for recreation programs in our existing facilities, and the demand is high.

“Erieview is well-positioned to meet our recreation and community engagement needs with its central location, spacious classrooms, gymnasium and outdoor areas.”

The purchase of the Erieview facility will be funded through the city’s Recreation Trust Fund — a special fund established to support public recreation — not its General Fund, which funds core services such as police, fire and public works, according to the release.

“Our vision is to transform Erieview into a vibrant community center, and maximize its use year-round,” Spaetzel said. “The city will benefit from having the ability to make capital improvements incrementally in a phased approach, which is something the schools simply would not have been able to do.

“We will also explore utilizing part of the facility to generate new revenue for the city. This is a very exciting win-win opportunity, and I want to thank Avon Lake City Schools for their continued partnership as we imagine a new future for Erieview.”

For more information, visit avonlake.org.