Old Center School has multiple prospects for sale

The former Center School in Grand Coulee is for sale, this time with three parties already showing interest in the property.

Grand Coulee Dam School District Superintendent Paul Turner told the school board Monday night that he has been in touch with three parties who have shown interest in the building and a total of about eight acres of land.

Turner said he is proceeding with an open bid date of Dec. 1.

He declined to say who the interested parties are, but said he would have to excuse himself from being involved in the discussions and proposed sale because one of the parties is a relative. Turner said he was removing himself to avoid any conflict of interest, and has asked former superintendent Dennis Carlson to handle the details of the sale and work with the board during the process.

Earlier the district had advertised the property for sale, but didn’t have a single person make a bid.

The school board had listed the sale of Center School as one of its highest priorities for this school year. Turner said he would start the process of re-advertising the property.

The district had purchased the property from Continental Land Company for $155,000, in October 2014. Since that time the district spent $10,000 for an appraisal, which came in at $190,000.

Since the building has been unoccupied, there have been numerous incidents of vandalism.

Turner told the board that he has shown the building to the interested parties.