Athens council agrees to revisit demolition of North City School after council request

Councilman Steven Sherwin asked the Athens City Council to reconsider its Dec. 17, 2024 vote to demolish North City School, arguing that the building’s recent roof investment and repair history make demolition a poor use of taxpayer funds.

Why it matters: Sherwin said a roof paid for with federal grant money cost $505,861 and that the city has spent an additional $76,563 in upkeep, bringing documented recent expenditures on the property to about $580,000. He told the council a conservative demolition estimate could be “up to a quarter of a $1,000,000,” which, combined with prior spending, “encroaches on $1,000,000” — while the land was appraised at roughly $131,000.

Sherwin proposed pausing demolition, soliciting buyers, or repurposing the structure as a community center or a shelter. City staff and the city attorney warned of a recorded reversionary clause in a 1958 deed; the attorney said staff had outsourced abstract searches and two vendors declined because of complexity, so the full title history remained unresolved. Council members also pointed out that changing the building’s occupancy (for example to a boys and girls club or community center) would likely trigger current building and fire-safety code requirements, including full sprinkler systems for large occupancies.

Fire-safety guidance came from the city’s fire official, who said that because the school has been vacated and was originally an educational occupancy (occupancy class E), any new non-educational use would require bringing the building up to current codes — including sprinkler systems — and that the state could require further upgrades before re-occupancy. Council members discussed utility costs (current monthly utilities were described in the meeting at about $4,879.51) and the difficulty of estimating renovation costs without a complete abstract and building inspection.

What the council directed: members agreed to place an item on new business (the regular meeting agenda) to consider rescinding the prior demolition motion and to consider a staff-prepared RFP soliciting proposals for reuse, lease, renovation or demolition alternatives. Staff noted the demolition process already had a bid package underway; the council agreed to hold action pending title/abstract clarification and returned bids. Several council members asked for an RFP that would solicit private parties willing to rehabilitate the structure at their own expense under long-term lease or triple-net terms.

No demolition was executed at the meeting; the council paused the process while staff researches deed restrictions, solicits abstracts, and develops an RFP and recommendation for council action.