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Leavenworth city commissioners will be asked to decide whether a church can demolish the old East Middle School.
A request for a demolition permit was denied earlier this month by the Leavenworth Preservation Commission. But officials from the First United Methodist Church, which owns the former school building, have appealed the decision to the City Commission.
City commissioners will take up the issue when they meet Tuesday.
Members of the Preservation Commission unanimously denied the church’s request Sept. 1 on the basis that the demolition would adversely impact the environs of three nearby buildings that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Those three buildings are the Leavenworth County Courthouse, the Carnegie Arts Center and the First Presbyterian Church.
The East Middle School building, which opened in 1933 as a high school, is currently unoccupied. The First United Methodist purchased the school building in 2000.
Church officials are seeking to tear down the old school located at 400 Chestnut St. in order to expand the neighboring First United Methodist Church building. The expansion could include additional parking spaces for the church.
In a written request for an appeal, Randy Herrman, chairman of the First United Methodist Church’s building committee, stated officials have considered various options for the old school, but it has never been usable to the church in its current condition.
“The existing (school) building is larger than we require; it is impractical to heat and air condition; it is not handicap accessible and it needs a new roof,” Herrman wrote in his letter.
He stated that renovation of the building would be too costly.
Leavenworth city commissioners will be asked to decide whether a church can demolish the old East Middle School.
A request for a demolition permit was denied earlier this month by the Leavenworth Preservation Commission. But officials from the First United Methodist Church, which owns the former school building, have appealed the decision to the City Commission.
City commissioners will take up the issue when they meet Tuesday.
Members of the Preservation Commission unanimously denied the church’s request Sept. 1 on the basis that the demolition would adversely impact the environs of three nearby buildings that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Those three buildings are the Leavenworth County Courthouse, the Carnegie Arts Center and the First Presbyterian Church.
The East Middle School building, which opened in 1933 as a high school, is currently unoccupied. The First United Methodist purchased the school building in 2000.
Church officials are seeking to tear down the old school located at 400 Chestnut St. in order to expand the neighboring First United Methodist Church building. The expansion could include additional parking spaces for the church.
In a written request for an appeal, Randy Herrman, chairman of the First United Methodist Church’s building committee, stated officials have considered various options for the old school, but it has never been usable to the church in its current condition.
“The existing (school) building is larger than we require; it is impractical to heat and air condition; it is not handicap accessible and it needs a new roof,” Herrman wrote in his letter.
He stated that renovation of the building would be too costly.
