New elementary school, girls STEM academy could come to Lexington if proposal goes through
Fayette school officials on Wednesday got permission from the state to buy property on Versailles Road where documents show they want to build two new schools: A 450-student elementary school and a 900-student girls’ K-8 STEM school.
However, Fayette schools spokeswoman Lisa Deffendall said “the existing volatility in the construction market will impact how the board chooses to move forward in the future.”
Meanwhile, the city has budgeted $1.37 million for the fiscal year that begins July 1 for the widening of the intersection of Mason Headley and Versailles roads in preparation for the two new schools. The proposed city funding for the road work was mentioned in state education board documents about the new facilities.
There was no mention in state documents of when the new schools might open. The Fayette school board has already put a long-awaited new middle school on hold in Hamburg, citing rising costs.
In April, the Fayette school board voted to purchase land and a home at 2160 Versailles Road from Lexington developer Dudley Webb’s family, about 36 acres at the intersection of Versailles Road and Mason Headley Road. School district officials at the time didn’t specify what they would do with the property.
On Wednesday afternoon, Kentucky Board of Education members approved the purchase at a meeting. Agenda documents show Fayette County intends to build the two new schools.
In response, Deffendall told the Herald-Leader, “The Fayette County Board of Education voted to purchase the property to provide opportunities to expand innovative program offerings for our students.”
“The language reflected on the documents approved by the state is consistent with the innovative program needs listed previously identified on the district facilities plan. The existing volatility in the construction market will impact how the board chooses to move forward in the future,” she said.
The STEM school has already opened in another temporary location. Fayette County Public Schools launched the Rise STEM Academy for Girls in the 2020-21 school year to support girls in science, technology, engineering and math. The magnet school, which is housed in the former Linlee Elementary at 2420 Spurr Road, initially taught up to 150 students in grades K-2 and will add a level every year through eighth grade.
Kentucky Education Commissioner Jason Glass had recommended that the Kentucky Board of Education approve the acquisition of the site for a proposed 900-student girls’ STEM school and a 450-student K-5 elementary school campus in Fayette County.
A school district must receive Kentucky Board of Education approval when site acquisition and site development costs for a proposed school project exceed 10% of the total project budget.
According to state documents, the property in west Lexington has an appraised value of $10.3 million and a proposed purchase price of $10.1 million. The site acquisition cost also is $10.1 million. The estimated site development costs for the two schools is $7.98 million. The estimated projects costs for the two schools including site acquisition is $79.5 million.
The property is within New Circle Road and the city’s growth boundary.
The site, historically used for agricultural and residential purposes, includes fields, an estate house and wooded areas around the residence and the perimeter of the property . The minimum area required for a 900-student K-8 school is 19 acres and the minimum area required for a 450-student K-5 school is 10 acres, state documents said.
Sites meeting the specific area requirements of the regulation are difficult to acquire and the district reviewed multiple sites for the two new schools, Superintendent Demetrus Liggins said in a request sent to the state board.
Herald-Leader staff writer Beth Musgrave contributed to this article.