Fayette Schools to use eminent domain to acquire land for STEM Academy for Girls

The Fayette County Board of Education on Monday took action to acquire approximately .1759 acres through eminent domain for property adjacent to Rise STEM Academy for Girls at 2160 Versailles Road.

Eminent domain is a legal process that allows public entities to acquire private property for public use, with compensation provided to the property owner as determined by law.

The action does not involve any homes but only portions of back yards, district officials said in a news release. After the school board met in closed session, board chairman Tyler Murphy read a resolution that said the properties were on Fair Oaks Drive and Port Royal Drive.

“The decision follows months of negotiations. The district has engaged in good-faith negotiations with the property owner(s) and will continue to work within all legal requirements to ensure fair treatment as we seek to settle this without legal action,” officials said in the release.

“While eminent domain is a measure of last resort, it is sometimes necessary to meet the long-term needs of our students and community,” the release said.

The new Rise STEM Academy for Girls, with a capacity of 900 students, will be at Mason Headley and Versailles roads.

“This building will feature flexible, collaborative space that encourages students to indulge their STEM interests through fun, accessible, and interactive project-based learning,” the district website said.

The target completion date is June 2026.

This story was originally published August 4, 2025 at 11:18 PM.