Bnton Harbor Area Schools won’t be tearing down some of its unused, blighted buildings just yet. The board of education this past week voted to table the question of demolishing Bard Elementary, Martindale Elementary, and the North Shore School. Trustee Trenton Bowens said at Tuesday’s board meeting it’s time to acknowledge those facilities can’t be repaired.
“You have kids playing in those school buildings,” Bowens said. “This is something serious. This is unrepairable. When you go to look in those buildings, the roof is falling in, the ceilings are open, the doors are open, the outside structure, windows are cracked. People are overdosing in these buildings.”
Bowens recommended at least tearing down Bard and Martindale. The proposal was to spend about $500,000 on demolition and asbestos removal for all three. The issue of the demolitions has been discussed at great length by the board, and the motion to table the question said it will be brought up again after the district’s new strategic plan has been finished. Work on that is ongoing.
