And these are no where near the top of my list in importance.
The Red Plan set aside about 18 million dollars to fix up Old Central High School. It was spent on other goodies instead. I can’t recall how much the cost of repairs had risen to when I was on the Board, perhaps ten million more. Today the Trib reports that the current estimated fix up costs are $48.5 million.
When I was on the Board in about 2002, Garry Krause asked me to second a motion to discuss selling Central despite its iconic and historic value. A buyer who has subsequently bought other abandoned Duluth Schools even came into the picture. But Old Central (also referred to as HOCH Historic Old Central High) remains.
Here’s my first campaign position. If we can sell it to someone who would abide by the National Historic Preservation guidelines I’d sell it in a heartbeat pending a vote of Duluth in a referendum to take place preferably in 2020 when the maximum voter turnout can be expected.
No Boards before the Red Plan or afterwards has been willing to raise taxes to bring it into full repair. It is a lovely symbol of our schools but a terrible drag on them as well. I personally don’t want to case a vote as one of seven school board members to sell it without public support and in this case I don’t think my election in 2019, should I succeed, ought to count.
On the other hand my view on New (but abandoned) New Central is simpler. I’d vote to spend the million or so needed to demolish it. I would do so for two reasons. It costs money to maintain. It will pull down the price we can claim for selling the land to a private developer. HOWEVER! I am in no hurry to sell the land unless we got an offer we couldn’t refuse. Today I’d say that price should be fifteen to twenty million dollars. Why see it so dear? Because our District has held empty land for years for future use. I think global warming, unless it can be reversed – and it probably can’t will make Duluth a prime location for coastal and sounthern people to move to. That could make a third high school necessary and there could be no better location for a third high school than in this central location. It would be Central risen as a phoenix from the ashes.
