Springfield Public Schools will continue to search for a location for a new Pipkin Middle School after announcing Wednesday it will not move forward with the purchase of land at 3207 E. Pythian.
The site has been controversial. Springfield Planning and Zoning voted in July not to recommend purchase of the land in an industrial area just west of Highway 65 on the very eastern edge of Pipkin’s boundary. The city’s planning manager Bob Hosmer said at that meeting that Springfield’s comprehensive plan Forward SGF calls for ensuring educational facilities are highly accessible by transit, walking or biking from all neighborhoods and the recommended site did not offer any of that.
SPS cited difficulty in resolving challenges posed by the property’s proximity to railroad tracks and limited access for emergency vehicles as key factors in its decision. It also took into consideration P&Z’s decision as well as opposition from BNSF Railroad.
The decision to release the Pythian property prior to closing was recommended by the district’s administration with unanimous approval from the Springfield Board of Education, according to a news release.
“We are committed to doing what is best for our students, staff, families - and to listening to our community throughout this important process,” said Danielle Kincaid, president of the SPS Board of Education, in the statement. “When we originally identified this property in March, it was our best option. By pursuing this option, we honored the recommendation of the Community Task Force on Facilities by working to secure a larger plot of land within the attendance boundary with sufficient space for a new building and expanded campus. Once the due diligence process was underway, however, we encountered obstacles and received additional stakeholder feedback that affirmed the decision to pause and continue the search.”
SPS said a search for property within the Pipkin attendance boundary will continue until another option is identified. It said it remains focused on meeting the recommendations of the Community Task Force on Facilities, which are: A plot of land around 10 acres within the Pipkin attendance boundary; sufficient space for a new building, outdoor activities, parking, a bus lane and improved traffic flow for student drop off and pick up; and completion by the end of the 2028 deadline for all Proposition S Phase 2 projects.
