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McHenry District 15 board rejects bids for Landmark School after public plea to preserve interior
Summary
The McHenry School District 15 Board of Education voted unanimously March 11 to reject two bids for the Landmark Elementary School property after a public commenter urged preservation and administrators detailed one bidder's plan for 20 one-bedroom apartments and zoning limits that currently classify the site as office space.
At its March 11, 2025 meeting, the McHenry School District 15 Board of Education voted to reject all bids received for the sale of the Landmark Elementary School property.
The decision followed a public comment urging the board to seek a buyer who would preserve the building's interior and questions about whether the site's zoning would permit residential conversion. Jessica Bedwell, a resident who spoke during public comment, said one proposal described converting the building into "a 20 unit apartment complex" and asked the board to "continue looking for buyers ... who want to maintain the integrity of Landmark." Bedwell suggested the building could instead house an artisan market serving downtown businesses.
District staff member Mr. Schubert told the board that two written proposals had been opened March 3. "The first one from South Fork Premier Properties [was] in the bid amount $20,000; they did not indicate a closing date, and they did not supply a summary for the future use," Schubert said. "The second proposal was from True North Properties, the bid amount of $210,000 with the closing date of 07/31/2025. In the summary, they proposed 20 one-bedroom apartments." Schubert said the administration and the finance committee recommended rejecting the bids because of concerns tied to the proposals and contingencies included in the proposals.
A board member asked for clarification about zoning: "To clarify, zoning for Landmark School is not residential. Correct?" Mr. Schubert replied, "Currently, it's not residential. It's zoned office space." Board members discussed whether reopened solicitations should include language barring contingencies.
A motion to reject all bids passed on a roll-call vote with all board members recorded as voting yes. The board did not approve a sale and did not set a follow-up timetable during the meeting.
The discussion combined public comment urging preservation, staff summaries of the two bids, and board questions on zoning and contract contingencies. The board indicated the matter will be revisited if and when the district reopens the solicitation with revised terms.
