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Lake City discusses repurposing Five Points elementary property; Swany Valley 4C tenant reserved classrooms
Summary
Council reviewed preliminary reuse plans for the Five Points elementary site, reserving rooms for Swany Valley 4C and exploring options for remaining space (career training, transitional housing, maker space, family resource center); councilors raised concerns about K-12 restrictions in the contract, separation between childcare and transitional housing, security fencing and potential law-enforcement presence.
The Lake City Council reviewed a draft reuse concept May 18 for the Five Points elementary property and discussed next steps for converting vacant classrooms.
City Manager Clay Rosenthal presented a diagram showing rooms reserved (red) for Swany Valley 4C and additional space (blue) suggested for uses including career and job skills training, single-parent support, food distribution, maker space, a pet-friendly shelter, transitional housing and a Lake City Family Resource Center. Rosenthal said staff will inventory remaining vacant classrooms by building and room number and then bring back a room-by-room recommendation for council consideration.
Council members asked staff to confirm a contractual restriction that the property cannot be used for K-12 educational services unless in partnership with the Columbia County schools; Rosenthal confirmed that "there is a restriction that says we cannot use it for K12 educational services." Councilwoman Young and others raised concerns about placing transitional housing adjacent to childcare programs and asked that security fencing, access, restrooms, parking and hours of operation be clarified before final decisions.
Rosenthal said Swany Valley's reserved areas are already "baked in" to the contract and that staff will return with detailed recommendations, cost estimates and security plans. The council also noted that DOT would handle proposed pathway work and that roof repairs and fencing work would begin after closing.
Next steps: staff will inventory rooms, confirm what Swany Valley has contracted for, and return with a detailed room-by-room plan and cost/security analysis for council consideration.
