The Plainview ISD Board of Trustees voted 7-0 on May 15 to award the demolition and disposition of Hillcrest Elementary to Thrasher Incorporated of Plainview, Texas.

District staff said the building is vandalized, in disrepair and has persistent water intrusion that motivated removal under prior bond work. The district solicited bids and received four proposals; Thrashers alternative proposal was to demolish the building in exchange for ownership of the land. Staff stated the vacant propertys land value without the building is $49,271 and that the companys proposal effectively provides demolition at that in-kind cost.

Board discussion addressed environmental and liability questions. A trustee asked whether the district would be liable for asbestos removal costs; staff replied that the district had already engaged a consultant and scheduled asbestos abatement for May 19 and that the abatement was under $50,000 and would occur regardless of the award.

Trustees said the building posed a public-safety and blight hazard because of repeated vandalism. The board approved awarding the project to Thrasher Incorporated; the motion passed 7-0.

Clarifying details from the meeting: the district estimated the land-only value at $49,271; the lowest conventional demolition bid listed on the tabulation was roughly $265,000 with other bids substantially higher; asbestos abatement was contracted separately and scheduled for May 19; the district required language to prevent the property being used as a competing campus.