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Hibbing council declares former Jefferson School structurally substandard, advances Highland Hills RFP
Summary
Council approved Resolution 26-0207 declaring the former Jefferson School at 2810 Diane Lane structurally substandard and instructed staff to pursue site-readiness work; the council also authorized an RFP to advance the Highland Hills/Highland Park subdivision extension (Phase 1: four lots at end of East Park Drive).
The Hibbing City Council on Feb. 4 declared the former Jefferson School property at 2810 Diane Lane structurally substandard and directed staff to begin site-readiness work intended to prepare the parcel for redevelopment.
Community Development Director Betsy Solowonki told the council staff determined, following a 2023 housing-needs analysis and a TIF review by LHB, that renovating the school into housing was not cost-effective. The council approved Resolution 26-0207 to declare the building substandard and to pursue wetland delineation, topography and geotechnical studies and to have the EDA and Northland Housing help design an RFP for future development.
Solowonki also presented an RFP to advance the Highland Hills/Highland Park neighborhood extension. She described two phases: Phase 1 would develop four lots at the end of East Park Drive, and Phase 2 would explore the remainder of the subdivision. Council members asked staff to return cost estimates for both phases and raised concerns about prior high lot-cost estimates; staff said they would examine ways to reduce costs and report back. The council voted to send the RFP for solicitation.
Taken together, the actions move the city from analysis to preparatory work for housing development on a city-owned parcel and to market the next subdivision lots. Specific financing, developer selection and construction timelines were not decided in open session.
