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Polk staff say Clay Cut building is costly to repair; district moving toward possible sale
Summary
Staff reported the Clay Cut Building at Daniel Jenkins Academy is in poor condition, likely beyond economical repair, and described steps needed to declare the property surplus and advance a sale to an interested private school.
District staff told the Polk County School Board on Feb. 25 that the Clay Cut Building, part of Daniel Jenkins Academy in Haines City, is likely beyond economical repair and the district is pursuing steps to surplus and sell the parcel.
Facilities staff member McLemore presented the informational update and said the building — constructed in 1950 and listed on the National Register of Historic Buildings — sits on roughly 1.92 acres and includes a two‑story building of about 29,000 square feet. An appraisal dated March 2019 returned an estimated value of about $600,000 based on the building’s existing condition, he said. McLemore said bringing the building back into usable condition would be economically infeasible and could require "tens of millions" of dollars.
McLemore said the Central Florida Academy Corporation, a private school operating elsewhere in southeast Florida, has approached the district with interest in the site. The district is updating the appraisal with Mancuso Appraisal Services and has received a new survey and legal description for the portion it intends to surplus.
McLemore outlined required next steps before a sale could occur, including formally deeming the building surplus (which requires an amendment to the district’s plant survey) and working with district counsel at Boswell & Dunlop to finalize negotiations. He said the buyer’s contract remains an early draft and that issues such as closing costs and commission payments must be resolved.
Board member Miss Miller criticized a contract draft that listed the district as paying buyer's-agent commission and urged staff to negotiate that term before returning to the board; she said legal and other transactional costs may exceed brokerage fees. Other board members said they support divesting the property given repair costs and proximity challenges with adjacent Daniel Jenkins Academy.
Why it matters: selling surplus district property requires board action and legal steps; the Clay Cut building’s historical designation imposes additional restrictions on renovations and can complicate reuse options. The district said it will return with a finalized appraisal, survey information and a recommendation for board action.
