Waco, WISD approve $32.2 million purchase of former Indian Spring campus to advance Barrons Branch redevelopment

Waco City Council and the Waco Independent School District Board on Oct. 7 approved agreements authorizing the city to purchase approximately 22.8 acres — including the former Indian Spring school campus and adjacent tract property — for $32,200,000 plus up to $100,000 in closing costs, with companion leaseback and interlocal agreements to coordinate education and community uses.

The purchase-and-sale agreement calls for two payments from escrow: $28,480,000 at closing and a second payment of $3,720,000 on March 31, 2026, at the end of the leaseback period. The interlocal agreement and related documents include operational provisions the district and city said will preserve the site’s history while expanding downtown access for students and community groups.

City deputy manager Deidre Emerson summarized the package as a coordinated city–district move tied to the downtown redevelopment plan known as the Barrons Branch District. "Tonight's joint item advances a shared city–ISD effort authorizing the city's purchase of the former Indian Spring Middle School campus ... honoring the site's history while positioning it for Waco's future," Emerson said.

Why it matters: city and district leaders said the acquisition is a cornerstone step for the larger 100-acre downtown redevelopment effort adopted in 2024. City staff and the district described the transaction as a partnership that combines…