The owner of the old East Middle School building has requested permission to demolish the structure.
The First United Methodist Church, which has owned the former school building since 2000, has filed an application with the city of Leavenworth for a demolition permit.
The school building located at 400 Chestnut St. opened in 1933 as a high school. It later served as a junior high school before being called a middle school, according to information provided by the Leavenworth school district at the time East Middle School closed.
East Middle School was replaced by Richard W. Warren Middle School.
A letter attached to the permit application indicates officials with the First United Methodist Church are looking to expand and enhance their facilities. And demolishing the old school building will provide the space and flexibility required to meet their needs.
“They’ve always kind of wanted to stay in the same location,” Randy Herrman said.
Herrman, a member of the church who’s headed a building study committee, said the old East Middle School building is much larger than what the church needs and its condition and configuration is not conducive to the church’s plans. He said trying to renovate the school building would be very costly.
The letter attached to the application indicates church officials want to improve their neighboring sanctuary building, which was constructed in 1912 and remodeled in 1970.
Chris Dunn, director of planning and community development for the city, said the demolition permit application will have to be reviewed by the Leavenworth Preservation Commission, or a request can be made for it to be reviewed by the State Historic Preservation Office.
Dunn said the old school building is located next to two buildings on the National Historic Register.
If the Leavenworth Preservation Commission denies the permit, or if the state office recommends against it, the matter could still be brought before the Leavenworth City Commission.
It wasn’t immediately known Wednesday how soon the Leavenworth Preservation Commission would be able to take up the issue.
