TRAVERSE CITY -- Local organizations interested in purchasing two empty school buildings say their plans are on hold, in part because a challenging economic climate has made it hard to raise funds.
Leaders from Acme Township and the nonprofit Child and Family Services of Northwestern Michigan have explored the idea of acquiring Bertha Vos and Norris elementary schools, respectively, from Traverse City Area Public Schools.
Conversations continue regarding Norris, said Paul Soma, the district's chief financial officer. But he said there have been no discussions with Acme Township about Bertha Vos other than a few early meetings.
The district closed both schools at the end of the 2007-08 school year.
Bertha Vos would make ideal office and community space for Acme Township, Supervisor Wayne Kladder said.
"It's on standby. We haven't lost interest," he said. "There's a lot of issues that face that building, and in economic times like these you have to be more prudent."
Both buildings have estimated market values between $400,000 and $500,000, according to a January report of vacant TCAPS property by commercial real estate consulting company Three West LLC.
Administrators don't need to sell the properties as urgently as they would if the buildings could net millions, Soma said.
Kladder said the township has to examine whether it can afford to renovate the building on limited resources.
The economic recession has affected grant opportunities, and the climate can make it difficult to ask voters to approve tax requests. Voters in Acme Township recently shot down a millage to improve local roads.
Local leaders are "not willing to take on any extra obligations" until conditions improve, Kladder said.
Jim Scherrer, executive director of Child and Family Services, said his office still is trying to make sense out of recent state budget cuts. The agency offers foster care and adoption services.
The organization is eyeing Norris' westside location for expanded office space and a place where supervised family visits can occur. The building also could help foster children learn life skills, including cooking in the school's kitchen, before they age out of the system.
But it also has to contend with ongoing cleanup work at the former Grand Traverse Overall Supply Co. next door, designated a contaminated Superfund site by the Environmental Protection Agency.
EPA representatives could not be reached for a status update Friday.
"Because we're a children's agency, we want to be absolutely sure" the site is clean, Scherrer said, and waiting could give the organization time to raise funds.
"We haven't taken anything off the agenda," he said. "It's not the only property we've looked at. Right now, we're in a holding pattern."
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