ALLENTOWN, Pa. – The Allentown School District is planning to make a $1.9 million land purchase in Union Terrace, if all goes well during a 120-day due diligence period.
The school board voted Thursday night to authorize the execution of the potential property acquisition at 1940 W. Fairview St., which is also known as 301 S. St. Elmo St.
According to district Chief Operating Officer Robert Whartenby, the move allows the district to expand its presence on the city’s east side and will help with overcrowding.
“It’s our continuation of doing good things for these students,” Whartenby said.
“The purchase of the property at 1940 W. Fairview Street represents a strategic investment in the long-term educational needs of the Allentown School District by providing land that can support future school construction, program expansion, and modern facilities designed to meet evolving student needs,” board documents indicate.
According to documents, the agreement is subject to a 120-day due diligence period during which environmental testing, title review, survey work, zoning verification and evaluation of the site for future educational or operational use will be completed.
The current owner of the 7-acre property is developer Abe Atiyeh’s St. Elmo Development LLC.
The property’s use has been in question for years. Atiyeh and a neighboring property owner previously made attempts to have the land rezoned for residential use. Atiyeh’s parcel has since been embroiled in legal review related to zoning issues surrounding its use for storage.