The St. Clair Catholic District School Board and the Municipality of Chatham-Kent have jointly announced the sale and purchase of the former St. Joseph Catholic School in Chatham.
Municipal officials say the sale and the purchase were approved, respectively, by the Board of Trustees and the Municipal Council at their public meetings Monday evening, July 20, 2020.
The agreed upon sale price is $400,000, which is within the range of fair market value as assessed by the Board’s real estate agent and appraiser, Municipal officials say.
“I want to thank our Associate Director Amy Janssens and her staff for successfully concluding this purchase agreement with the Municipality,” stated John Van Heck, chair of the Catholic school board, in a press release.
“We have an excellent relationship with our municipal partners and are pleased whenever surplus Board property can be re-purposed to fill a new role in the community.”
The closing date for the sale and purchase agreement is July 31, 2020, Municipal officials say.
“The creation of housing continues to be important in Chatham-Kent and I’m glad to see an existing building find a new use that will serve our community well for generations,” stated Mayor Darrin Canniff in a media release
Under Ontario Regulation 444/98, the school board is required to offer any property which has been declared surplus to a list of preferred agents, including municipalities, before it can be placed on the open market.
The St. Joseph Catholic School property was declared surplus to the Board’s needs on September 24, 2019.
The property was offered to preferred agents on November 13, 2019 and on February 11, 2020, the Board received an expression of interest from the Municipality.
A Chatham-Kent staff report indicates administration has also negotiated an agreement with 1815513 Ontario Inc., where the Municipality will sell the property immediately after purchasing the property from the School Board.Â
“Although the purchase and sale of 25 Raleigh Street is no longer necessary for the original municipal purpose intended, administration has had discussions with 1815513 Ontario Inc. regarding other potential uses of the property for other potential purposes, which will have a positive impact on the community,” a staff report says.
“1815513 Ontario Inc. has indicated that it is still prepared to purchase the property and use it for housing purposes. Administration believes that this potential housing use would be a positive re-use of this property and is consistent with the neighborhood.”
