Old Watauga High School lot has been discussed

[8993]

According to the Watauga Democrat, the old Watauga High School lot was discussed previously as a possible location for future athletic facilities. Within the article, it even states that DG included the lot in a presentation that he made earlier this year to the Board of Trustees, although App currently has no plans to purchase the lot. I would assume that the extremely high price on the lot is enough reason for school administration to not be interested in the lot at the time, but who knows what will happen in the future. The article did mention that things may change the Connect NC bond having recently passed.

ASU discussed old high school site for athletic facilities

[firemoose]

Things have gotten more interesting with the bond passage (new College of Health Science getting funded) and with the town just buying the property across the river from the Soccer stadium for 4.7 mil. It's the closest property in size (around 58 acres) to the high school property (around 74 acres) that has been sold in or around Boone recently and gives a comparable property to use in the appraisal. It's on the list right now. We'll just see what develops.

[Gonzo]

Things have gotten more interesting with the bond passage (new College of Health Science getting funded) and with the town just buying the property across the river from the Soccer stadium for 4.7 mil. It's the closest property in size (around 58 acres) to the high school property (around 74 acres) that has been sold in or around Boone recently and gives a comparable property to use in the appraisal. It's on the list right now. We'll just see what develops.

You're a lot closer to this than me. Does it seem like the town is squatting on that property to continue to extort as much as possible from App knowing the school's need for such a large piece of land? I don't want to jump the gun, but that's what it seems like given this small piece of info.

[T-Dog]

Gillin has said his athletics master plan will be released in the next six months, so for him to say it's not happening and possibly change his tune later on would be eye-opening.'

I have no idea what the town is thinking with the land and I don't even think they know. The only real possible buyer backed out because the town wanted it as a mixed-use property and passed an ordinance only allowing mixed-use developments to be built.

[JTApps1]

I wonder if we can get the State to threaten imminent domain for the high school land if the county refuses to budge on its price? It's been vacant for years with no other potential buyer. It would be a nice gesture to give App a good price considering the amount of cash the county brings in due to our athletics. If building a track on this land lead to the expansion of KBS the money that increased football attendance would create for the town would eventually make up and then exceed the difference in price.

[firemoose]

Things have gotten more interesting with the bond passage (new College of Health Science getting funded) and with the town just buying the property across the river from the Soccer stadium for 4.7 mil. It's the closest property in size (around 58 acres) to the high school property (around 74 acres) that has been sold in or around Boone recently and gives a comparable property to use in the appraisal. It's on the list right now. We'll just see what develops.

You're a lot closer to this than me. Does it seem like the town is squatting on that property to continue to extort as much as possible from App knowing the school's need for such a large piece of land? I don't want to jump the gun, but that's what it seems like given this small piece of info.

Just making sure of the question. The town buying the land across from the soccer field is for them, as they plan to consolidate a lot of the spread out town departments into one site, including the Boone Police and Public Works departments, plus adding some additional parks and green spaces as well. So that is a legit buy for them. As for the old high school property, that is owned and controlled by the county, not the town. The town has permit rights as it's in town limits but the county owns the property (big reason for so many fights that have happened between them as bidders have come and gone). They are the ones trying to get the big money from it. I'm sure they want App to give them as much as possible for it but given that we recently had an independent appraisal done (which is why I mentioned the town purchase since anyone who has ever had an appraisal done knows that a big part of what value they determine is finding comparable properties that have been recently sold) they need to have the appraisal revised to include the town's purchase. Is the county sitting on the land to try and pry as much as possible out of App? Yes. No doubt. We'll just have to see if we can work out some deal with them (should have been done when App sold them the land that the new HS sits on).

One thing App has to keep in mind is that any other place we're looking at might be at a lesser price, but we have to factor in the cost of building from scratch the track, softball, soccer, tennis, and any other fields/complexes/sports we want to move. The old HS already has all of those sites there. They just need to be tweaked up to collegiate standards. The combined building will pretty much cost the same no matter where it's built, as long as there is a big enough, flat piece of ground to build it on, as there is at the old HS. If not more grading costs need to be factored in. But we just need to decide if we want to build everything from scratch, and what it would cost, versus paying more for a property where less money would have to be spent for the venues themselves. Which one is the better deal?

Honestly App really messed up (did not look towards the future) when we pretty much gave the county the new HS site. We really should have worked a deal back then. Not sure why the administration wasn't forward thinking enough to see how much that site would have been of benefit in setting up a full Olympic Sports complex plus moving Intramural sports up there as well (could get some state money for that), and keeping KBS as a dedicated football stadium. But we can't change the past and no matter where we go now it's going to cost us more.

[firemoose]

Gillin has said his athletics master plan will be released in the next six months, so for him to say it's not happening and possibly change his tune later on would be eye-opening.'

I have no idea what the town is thinking with the land and I don't even think they know. The only real possible buyer backed out because the town wanted it as a mixed-use property and passed an ordinance only allowing mixed-use developments to be built.

Except he never said it's not happening, just that it's not happening currently. Two very different statements. Until they come out and say that any effort to buy the land is dead then there are still discussions going on. It's no secret that this has been near the top of the list for a while now. When DG comes before the BOT and the Council and says that it's never going to happen then that will make it final. As far as I know that has not been said.

[Gonzo]

Things have gotten more interesting with the bond passage (new College of Health Science getting funded) and with the town just buying the property across the river from the Soccer stadium for 4.7 mil. It's the closest property in size (around 58 acres) to the high school property (around 74 acres) that has been sold in or around Boone recently and gives a comparable property to use in the appraisal. It's on the list right now. We'll just see what develops.

You're a lot closer to this than me. Does it seem like the town is squatting on that property to continue to extort as much as possible from App knowing the school's need for such a large piece of land? I don't want to jump the gun, but that's what it seems like given this small piece of info.

Just making sure of the question. The town buying the land across from the soccer field is for them, as they plan to consolidate a lot of the spread out town departments into one site, including the Boone Police and Public Works departments, plus adding some additional parks and green spaces as well. So that is a legit buy for them. As for the old high school property, that is owned and controlled by the county, not the town. The town has permit rights as it's in town limits but the county owns the property (big reason for so many fights that have happened between them as bidders have come and gone). They are the ones trying to get the big money from it. I'm sure they want App to give them as much as possible for it but given that we recently had an independent appraisal done (which is why I mentioned the town purchase since anyone who has ever had an appraisal done knows that a big part of what value they determine is finding comparable properties that have been recently sold) they need to have the appraisal revised to include the town's purchase. Is the county sitting on the land to try and pry as much as possible out of App? Yes. No doubt. We'll just have to see if we can work out some deal with them (should have been done when App sold them the land that the new HS sits on).

One thing App has to keep in mind is that any other place we're looking at might be at a lesser price, but we have to factor in the cost of building from scratch the track, softball, soccer, tennis, and any other fields/complexes/sports we want to move. The old HS already has all of those sites there. They just need to be tweaked up to collegiate standards. The combined building will pretty much cost the same no matter where it's built, as long as there is a big enough, flat piece of ground to build it on, as there is at the old HS. If not more grading costs need to be factored in. But we just need to decide if we want to build everything from scratch, and what it would cost, versus paying more for a property where less money would have to be spent for the venues themselves. Which one is the better deal?

Honestly App really messed up (did not look towards the future) when we pretty much gave the county the new HS site. We really should have worked a deal back then. Not sure why the administration wasn't forward thinking enough to see how much that site would have been of benefit in setting up a full Olympic Sports complex plus moving Intramural sports up there as well (could get some state money for that), and keeping KBS as a dedicated football stadium. But we can't change the past and no matter where we go now it's going to cost us more.

As always, thanks for the well-informed and thorough response, Moose.

[T-Dog]

Gillin has said his athletics master plan will be released in the next six months, so for him to say it's not happening and possibly change his tune later on would be eye-opening.'

I have no idea what the town is thinking with the land and I don't even think they know. The only real possible buyer backed out because the town wanted it as a mixed-use property and passed an ordinance only allowing mixed-use developments to be built.

Except he never said it's not happening, just that it's not happening currently. Two very different statements. Until they come out and say that any effort to buy the land is dead then there are still discussions going on. It's no secret that this has been near the top of the list for a while now. When DG comes before the BOT and the Council and says that it's never going to happen then that will make it final. As far as I know that has not been said.

Gotcha. I just misread what Brant wrote, so I'll blame him and not my reading comprehension.

[asu66]

To all; and fwiw...

I had a recent conversation with an Assoc. AD (who must go unnamed here). Over the course of a lengthy discussion of the Gillin era from day one to the present, I gathered that the university has made several runs at the Watauga County Commission on the old high school site issue and that talks will continue as long as both parties remain open to the idea of change of ownership.

I also gathered that, as a possible alternative site if a cost-conscious deal can't be struck with the County Commission in the reasonably foreseeable future, the university has begun to look with interest at a/an (hurry back, Appsolutely) west campus tract that lies roughly WNW of the Greenwood lot and between Greenwood and the old Broyhill Inn tract. Two issues there off the top of my brain would be (1) green forest property (you know how fast "tree" discussions get messy on our campus) and (2) high site prep/grading costs. But, there's no $8 mil to 15 mil cash outlay for the real estate. That's a huge plus and it'd keep a ton of non-revenue sports on campus where they ideally belong (if at all possible)!

Finally, several recent posts have mentioned possible construction of another parking deck--this one on the SE edge of the main campus near HCC. That plan, as I understand it, is still pushing forward, even if it has to be steered over or around a bump or two. Maybe "town and gown" can get together for a brew or an expresso. Maybe!

[JTApps1]

Chuck, it seems like removing the old Broyhill Inn would open up enough space for a track/soccer complex. If so they could build a softball stadium below it in the area you mentioned. Grading for a field the size of SB would be much less than a track.

[NewApp]

According to the Watauga Democrat, the old Watauga High School lot was discussed previously as a possible location for future athletic facilities. Within the article, it even states that DG included the lot in a presentation that he made earlier this year to the Board of Trustees, although App currently has no plans to purchase the lot. I would assume that the extremely high price on the lot is enough reason for school administration to not be interested in the lot at the time, but who knows what will happen in the future. The article did mention that things may change the Connect NC bond having recently passed.

ASU discussed old high school site for athletic facilities

According to the Charlotte Observer just prior to the bond vote, our portion was to be relegated mostly to Health Sciences...the nursing program primarily. I voted for the bond.

[Nugget49]

According to the Watauga Democrat, the old Watauga High School lot was discussed previously as a possible location for future athletic facilities. Within the article, it even states that DG included the lot in a presentation that he made earlier this year to the Board of Trustees, although App currently has no plans to purchase the lot. I would assume that the extremely high price on the lot is enough reason for school administration to not be interested in the lot at the time, but who knows what will happen in the future. The article did mention that things may change the Connect NC bond having recently passed.

ASU discussed old high school site for athletic facilities

According to the Charlotte Observer just prior to the bond vote, our portion was to be relegated mostly to Health Sciences...the nursing program primarily. I voted for the bond.

State funds cannot be used for athletic facilities at UNC campuses, so the bond money will not help with this. Well, money can get shifted around from one account to another inside the University, so maybe the bond money will free up other funds, but in general the bond funds are already allocated to a specific purpose.

[Gonzo]

According to the Watauga Democrat, the old Watauga High School lot was discussed previously as a possible location for future athletic facilities. Within the article, it even states that DG included the lot in a presentation that he made earlier this year to the Board of Trustees, although App currently has no plans to purchase the lot. I would assume that the extremely high price on the lot is enough reason for school administration to not be interested in the lot at the time, but who knows what will happen in the future. The article did mention that things may change the Connect NC bond having recently passed.

ASU discussed old high school site for athletic facilities

According to the Charlotte Observer just prior to the bond vote, our portion was to be relegated mostly to Health Sciences...the nursing program primarily. I voted for the bond.

State funds cannot be used for athletic facilities at UNC campuses, so the bond money will not help with this. Well, money can get shifted around from one account to another inside the University, so maybe the bond money will free up other funds, but in general the bond funds are already allocated to a specific purpose.

This is why UNC spending millions on lawyers and a PR firm in the wake of their scandal is such a detriment to Appalachian (and the other UNC System schools). Tax money might not be directly use to finance it, but those voids will be filled by the tax payer.

It's a drug dealer on food stamps.

[NewApp]

According to the Watauga Democrat, the old Watauga High School lot was discussed previously as a possible location for future athletic facilities. Within the article, it even states that DG included the lot in a presentation that he made earlier this year to the Board of Trustees, although App currently has no plans to purchase the lot. I would assume that the extremely high price on the lot is enough reason for school administration to not be interested in the lot at the time, but who knows what will happen in the future. The article did mention that things may change the Connect NC bond having recently passed.

ASU discussed old high school site for athletic facilities

According to the Charlotte Observer just prior to the bond vote, our portion was to be relegated mostly to Health Sciences...the nursing program primarily. I voted for the bond.

State funds cannot be used for athletic facilities at UNC campuses, so the bond money will not help with this. Well, money can get shifted around from one account to another inside the University, so maybe the bond money will free up other funds, but in general the bond funds are already allocated to a specific purpose.

That's what I was saying. Some of us dream of having a large and high quality nursing school at App. If we get our fair share of the bond money, we can fulfill at least a first step toward that goal.

[firemoose]

According to the Watauga Democrat, the old Watauga High School lot was discussed previously as a possible location for future athletic facilities. Within the article, it even states that DG included the lot in a presentation that he made earlier this year to the Board of Trustees, although App currently has no plans to purchase the lot. I would assume that the extremely high price on the lot is enough reason for school administration to not be interested in the lot at the time, but who knows what will happen in the future. The article did mention that things may change the Connect NC bond having recently passed.

ASU discussed old high school site for athletic facilities

According to the Charlotte Observer just prior to the bond vote, our portion was to be relegated mostly to Health Sciences...the nursing program primarily. I voted for the bond.

State funds cannot be used for athletic facilities at UNC campuses, so the bond money will not help with this. Well, money can get shifted around from one account to another inside the University, so maybe the bond money will free up other funds, but in general the bond funds are already allocated to a specific purpose.

That's what I was saying. Some of us dream of having a large and high quality nursing school at App. If we get our fair share of the bond money, we can fulfill at least a first step toward that goal.

Just to be clear the money is to build a building to house the College of Health Sciences, which offers 16 undergrad degrees and 6 grad degree programs. Nursing is only one of six departments in the college. Social Work, Communication Sciences and Disorders, Nutrition and Health Care Management, Health and Exercise Science, and Recreation Management and Physical Education being the other five. The College of Health Sciences is the newest college addition to App, has quickly grown to the second largest college, and is currently the fastest growing of all of the colleges at App. They have been spread across seven different buildings all across campus and even across Boone itself since the beginning. This building will bring nearly every department in the college under one roof.

Several stories on the bond kept listing the project as the College of Nursing, which was incorrect. The Nursing program is only one part and not close to the biggest department in the College. HES is the largest. While it is a great thing to have a Nursing program at App and has been a long time coming I just wanted to correct the record.

[asu66]

It was a group of GAs and interns from App Exercise Science that helped me recover from open heart surgery at the Broyhill Wellness Ctr. I'll be forever grateful. Sharp young people in that program.

[boonetown1]

Would you have to grade for a track up near Breuer hill? Couldn't you just build up to make the land flat?

[AtlAppMan]

It would have been wise for every ASU Administration in the last 40-50 yrs to accumulate any sizable real estate in Boone when they had the opportunity. That would have proven to be financially sound and increased the university's assets while providing leverage to the university with respect to any expansion which is inevitable over time. University growth is never a question, only when and how. Accumulating real estate throughout the town of Boone is a no brainer.

I don't know the details of the old Watauga high school real estate other than the little I have read on this blog over time. It appears from that information that it would have been extremely smart for the university to have negotiated some type of swap for the two properties at that time. The old high school property was too big and too close to the campus to overlook its strategic value to the future of the university.