District and school leaders know they want to build a new EE Smith High School.

After the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously against relocating to Fort Liberty last month, the question of where is still open remains open.

Sandhills Real Estate Holdings, a local company, believes it has a solution, and it’s an interesting one.

The company is proposing a 23-acre site just 5,650 feet from the existing school on Seabrook Road, according to a proposal co-owner Justin Tahilramani emailed to government officials and members of the media earlier this month.

The proposal correctly notes that community members have made clear they want the school to “remain in the same geographic area.”

“Our 23-acre parcel provides a unique opportunity to keep EE Smith at the heart of its community,” the proposal states, “an adaptable and accessible location that meets both current and future needs.”

Vertical construction for a new EE Smith High School?

The wooded area on Cochran Boulevard is located northeast of EE Smith. According to the diagram, it consists of three parcels, includes water and sewer, and has four existing access points.

The land does not contain wetlands and is outside the flood zone of nearby Cross Creek, Tahilramani said in a Q&A accompanying the email.

The presence of wetlands has been a sticking point in Cumberland County Schools’ search for a new location for Smith; The presence of wetlands eliminated most other possible sites for a new school. Ultimately, in January, the county Board of Education recommended Stryker Golf Course in Liberty as the only suitable location among those considered. This location is approximately 10 miles north of where the school is currently located.

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Redeveloping the existing ball fields at EE Smith High School will be key to making the plan work, Tahilramani said in his email. Another important component, he wrote, would be building the school across multiple floors. The proposal also includes some special facilities and services remaining in the existing school building.

The new school is planned to be state-of-the-art and STEM-focused. Building vertically could be a potential way for district and school officials to address another major issue: The state recommends: 70 to 100 acres for a new high school. Currently, Smith is mostly landlocked, with homes and other neighborhood features in the historic Seabrook-Broadell area.

Glenn Adams, chairman of the county commissioners. Speaking of the WRAL plan, Building a vertical school, as has been done in Wake County, could meet the land needs, he said. He added that it could also bring previously disabled sites back into discussion.

Company owner: ‘The most efficient and best use of the property’

Tahilramani said he received little response from district or school officials about his proposal, calling them “very, very narrow-minded.” He spoke with someone from the district who asked basic questions.

“I haven’t gotten any feedback from anyone else, which is surprising,” he said.

He said Sandhills purchased the property for between $80,000 and $85,000 and sees it as a longer-term investment with a project that fits well into the community and can tie into future city plans to develop Murchison Road. Initially, the company considered providing subsidized housing through the federal Metropolitan Housing Administration.

Tahilramani said Smith’s move to the property would benefit the community. He said the company is ready to work with government officials and will not let money get in the way of construction of the project.

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“For our company, we think this is probably one of the most productive and best uses of the property,” he said. “’How can we get the most money?’ Not from perspective. It’s a great place. I would say the neighborhood connecting to it is above average.

“Unfortunately, there is a perception that many people will not even devote the time of day to this area, realistically there is so much to do in this area.”

After election, several new Cumberland leaders will consider EE Smith’s position

A new variable since the last period general election is this school board And Board of Commissioners There will be a number of new people who will bring to the table their own ideas about the future position of EE Smith.

County Board of Education member Alicia Chisolm, whose District 1 includes Smith, lost her seat last week, as did Donna Vann in District 4 and Nathan Warfel in District 6. Voted by a 5-3 majority in January for the Liberty site, which will include a partnership with the military installation. At-large members Jacquelyn Brown and Greg West also voted for Liberty; This year their seats were not on the ballot.

Board president Deanna Jones, Judy Musgrave and Carrie Sutton voted against the move. Susan Williams was not at the meeting. Jones and Williams were re-elected last week. Musgrave is free and not on the ballot. Sutton did not seek re-election.

By election time, the Liberty site was no longer an option because county commissioners voted against it in early October.

Toni Stewart, the county commissioner who lost her seat, also joined the commissioners in their unanimous vote against the Liberty move.

School board member: I don’t want to hit the pause button for now.

Greg West, a longtime school board member and former president, said he was aware of Sandhills’ proposal but had not studied it.

“We decided to hit the pause button on that until the new year,” he said of Smith’s new location. The school board and Board of Commissioners will have new members, he noted.

He said the board is expected to conduct a systemwide study of school facilities in January.

He said the third-party study “will give us a look at all of our campuses to help us prioritize physical work, possibly even consolidating smaller elementary schools.”

He said he doesn’t expect the board to do anything about Smith’s location “in the short term.”

Thinking outside the box

Based on Fayetteville Observer candidate polls, there are varying opinions about Smith’s standing among the four newly elected school board members and three new county commissioners.

For example, Delores T. Bell of the 3rd District said: “I believe we should try to save. (A) Buy a block house to have a football field, soccer field, baseball field, tennis court, and softball field.

There are still many discussions to be had, as the process will be starting over in some respects. Sandhills Real Estate Holdings’ proposal, whether accepted or rejected, represents the out-of-the-box thinking we will need to reach a solution that will satisfy most people.

Opinion Editor Myron B. Pitts can be reached at: [email protected] or 910-486-3559.

This article first appeared in The Fayetteville Observer: Opinion: EE Smith site idea is the type of thinking Fayetteville needs