VALLEJO – The Vallejo City Unified School District trustees on Thursday agreed to sell the Beverly Hills Elementary School site to the county for development of an early childhood education and wellness center.
The sale price is $2.8 million, the school district announced.
The county Board of Supervisors is scheduled to take up final approval on June 27. Funding is available, but the county has source options it is considering. The board will consider $2 million of it in the upcoming budget hearings, while the First 5 Commission is seeking funds for the remaining $800,000 so it does not have to use its reserves.
The commission will also pay for renovations of the property, which is located at 1450 Coronel Ave. in Vallejo.
“The VCUSD Board of Education is very appreciative of this important partnership and embraces the efforts to provide an expanded early childhood education programming and other community wrap-around services at this cherished site,” district Superintendent William Spalding said in a statement.
“It shows what can be done when committed advocates for children collaborate, focus, and drive towards a substantive outcome and won’t give up! I am very proud of this effort and of all who contributed. Generations will benefit. A community will benefit,” Spalding added.
The district also agreed to a rent-free lease the rent-free lease for portions of the Franklin Middle School, 501 Starr Ave., to the Greater Vallejo Recreation District.
The lease for the Franklin gymnasium, classroom portables 79 and 80 and the adjacent athletic fields went into effect Thursday.
“The (GVRD) will use the vacated school to host community recreational programs and make necessary improvements to the property if grant funds are received. Currently, the Vallejo Police Activities League uses the field space to provide quality, healthy activities for the youth of Vallejo while fostering a sense of community between police officers and the young people of Vallejo. The PAL will continue to operate their programs in collaboration with GVRD,” the school district announced.
“The Franklin Middle School location will serve Vallejo youth with a new set of eyes,” district Assistant Superintendent of Operations Mitch Romao said in the statement. “GVRD will have a whole new vision for the Franklin facilities. We want to thank the PAL for their partnership and service to our students.”
The Beverly Hills and Franklin locations were closed in the summer of 2020 due to declining enrollment.