News

County eyes Christian school purchase

Hendersonville Christian School property is for sale for $1.2 million.

By Bill Moss, Published: September 29, 2012

The Henderson County Board of Commissioners is looking at buying the 9½-acre Hendersonville Christian School property for use as playing fields, indoor recreation and potentially county offices.

The property, which is assessed at $3 million and for sale for $1.2 million, includes a two-story classroom building and a gym with a new oak floor, locker rooms, kitchen and lunchroom. The Hendersonville Christian School board put the property up for sale after the school closed and went out of business last spring.
The commissioners talked during a closed session about the possible acquisition of the property, which could fit their pursuit of space for outdoor playfields. Commissioners and county officials cautioned that any assumption about a purchase is premature.
"We definitely have an interest," said County Commission chairman Tommy Thompson. "But I really can't comment on it."
While insisting that the acquisition talks are at a preliminary stage, officials described in interviews the potential for recreation opportunities: children's indoor soccer, basketball and volleyball leagues, outdoor soccer, fitness classes and other recreation programming. The property has parking and is easy to get to, they say, and has recently undergone almost a half million dollars worth of renovation and repairs.
The county has been seeking property for soccer and baseball fields and other outdoor recreation for the past several years. The Board of Commissioners set aside $200,000 for park development in the 2012-13 budget.
The possible acquisition of the former school property with its gym and classroom buildings raises the specter of a political fight like the one that occurred a year ago when commissioners announced a proposal to buy the Highland Lake Golf Club for use as parkland and ballfields. Strong opposition from neighbors forced commissioners to reverse course and drop the plans. In interviews about the Christian school property, commissioners and county officials all expressed the strong desire to avoid a political maelstrom.
Avoiding soccer field debacle
Asked whether the commissioners risked a similar backlash with the Christian school property, Thompson said he did not think so.
"We certainly do not want to go into that at all," he said. "That is the last thing we would have in mind, is to have dissension. Anything we would do would definitely be something all five commissioners would agree on. We have no intention of doing anything like Highland Lake golf course."
Wyatt, too, said he thought commissioners were aware that public awareness would have to come before they took any action.
"Hypothetically, if you were to pursue this then you would pursue it with public involvement about the uses and the issues regarding programming and what the assets would be," said County Manager Steve Wyatt. "This particular property is not in the middle of a residential area," as the Highland Lake golf course is. "You'd have to just work through the process."
County Commissioner Charlie Messer said he thought more would come out after the Board of Commissioners meeting on Monday or on Oct. 17, he said. The county's decision, he said, would be based on how the numbers looked, in terms of price and possible financing.
Commissioner Larry Young said the board directed Wyatt to explore the sale with the owners or real estate agents.
"It's something we could do something with," he said, pointing out a playground, ballfield and gym, plus the classroom building that he suggested could be used for the Board of Elections. "It's a lot better than the golf course was at Flat Rock."
Given the low interest rates for financing, other officials said, the Board of Commissioners could borrow money for the purchase at a relatively low yearly payment and own it outright in 10 years or so. The school took out a $460,000 mortgage on the property in 2007 to fund $400,000 worth of repairs and renovation, county land records show.
Mortgage totals $900,000
The corporation owes about $850,000 to $900,000 on two mortgages, said Skip Goldsmith, the last headmaster of the school and an attorney who is handling the dissolving of the non-profit corporation and selling of assets.
"We need to pay that off and any other bills that we have, and the Realtors need a commission," he said.
The school has had interest from "the county, among others," he said. "We've had several good leads. We've had a lot of people out to look at the school. I think the county's interested, the YMCA was. I'd say we have three or four organizations that are interested in it, not just the county."
The listing agent confirmed there has been interest, and no contract yet.
"We don't have an arrangement or a contract with Henderson County or anything," said Eric Goodman of Southern Commercial Real Estate, which has listed the property. "We've had numerous people look at it. No one has a contract on the property at this time."
The county Recreation Advisory Board has not yet taken up the question of using the school property, said Rec Board chairman Jeff McDonald. But McDonald said he and recreation director Tim Hopkin had talked in general terms about the gym and ballfield when the property came on the market.
"It would make an awesome location for them for a number of venues," he said. "I know he was excited about the possibility that it might be available."
Soccer fields are the top priority of the recreation advisers, McDonald said. The Recreation Board has also discussed for a long time the need for a gym for basketball leagues, which now use school gyms. Besides the gym, the outdoor field holds promise. "I know Tim felt like they could use that soccer field as well," the Recreation Board chairman said.