New home for Pipkin: SPS enters contract to buy nearby 8.8 acres in Midtown

A new home has been secured for Pipkin Middle School and it is just a stone's throw from the existing campus on Boonville Avenue.

Springfield Public Schools confirmed Friday that it has agreed to buy 8.86 acres — just north and west of where Pipkin has stood for a century — from the General Council of the Assemblies of God.

Part of the Midtown neighborhood, the property is bordered to the north by Division Street, on the east by Campbell Avenue and the south by Lynn Street. The border on the west side is stair-stepped in shape, with the widest part south of Hovey Street.

Superintendent Grenita Lathan spoke confidently about the district's commitment to construct a new Pipkin during a groundbreaking Wednesday for the new Reed Academy of Fine and Performing Arts. But, she gave no hint that a deal might be forthcoming.

Less than 48 hours later, she was eager to celebrate "exciting news" with Pipkin students, staff and community.

“The search for the right location presented unique challenges, as it is extremely difficult to identify and secure a large parcel of land in the central part of an established community," Lathan said, in a news release. "Ultimately, however, we are incredibly pleased with the outcome."

In mid-September, the district abandoned plans to build Pipkin on East Pythian Street , in an industrial part of the city far from the existing campus.

The 20.9-acre parcel on Pythian was undeveloped but its location — next to the interstate, railroad tracks and a chemical plant — raised serious questions about its suitability as a school campus from taxpayers, the BNSF Railway, and the city's Planning & Zoning Commission, among others.

Pipkin opened on Boonville Avenue, in the heart of the Midtown neighborhood, a century ago.

The fortress-looking middle school has an outdated layout, lacks accessibility, and the land-locked three-acre campus does not have adequate space for extracurricular activities and student drop-off and pick-up lanes.

The Community Task Force on Facilities urged the district to construct a new Pipkin on a larger campus as part of the $220 million bond issue overwhelmingly approved by voters in April 2023.

"This location allows us to honor the recommendations presented by the Community Task Force on Facilities and to acknowledge the feedback from stakeholders who preferred that the new school remain in Midtown," Lathan said, in the release.

"We are eager to build the school that our students and staff deserve and we appreciate the General Council of theAssemblies of God for working with us to make it possible.”

In restarting the search, district officials said the goal was to find at least 10 acres — similar to the campus where the new Jarrett Middle School was constructed — with sufficient space for the school, outdoor activities, parking, a bus lane, and safer traffic flow for student drop-off and pick-up.

The new campus falls short of that goal but is still almost three times the size of the original campus. It's longest border road is Campbell, which is just one-way in that section.

The goal was to have all bond-funded projects completed by the end of 2028 and the district projected the Pipkin project will take two years to complete, from start to finish.

“This is a huge win for the Pipkin community — and for Springfield,” said Pipkin Principal Duane Cox, in a release.

“We are close enough to our new home to watch the progress as construction begins. The possibilities for Pipkin are limitless and we are so thankful to the community, the Board of Education and our administration for investing in the future for our students.”

The plans called for a building large enough to serve 550 students in grades 6-8. Enrollment at Pipkin has dwindled in recent years.

The goal of the new building, on a new campus, is to improve the learning environment and boost interest in Pipkin, which is an International Baccalaureate World School. It is the only middle school that offers that program, linking IB elementary programs at Boyd, Field and Rountree with the IB program at Central High School.

In a release, the district said it will close on the property after a 180-day "due diligence" period to complete routine site assessments and other requirements related to a new development.

The district said after closing, it will demolish the existing structures on the property.

The sale price was not immediately disclosed and there will be costs associated with clearing off the buildings that are on the property.

"The sale price will be disclosed at closing to protect the ability of both the buyer and the seller to negotiate future transactions in the event that closure on the agreement does not occur," said Stephen Hall, chief communications officer.

"The estimate for demolition of existing structures is $1.6 million. Demolition will start after the 180 days of due diligence and 120 days to vacate properties — essentially 10 months from now. SPS expects construction to begin approximately one year from now."

The original budget was $53.08 million but there were costs related to the Pythian property.

More: 'Legacy will continue' as SPS breaks ground for new arts-focused Reed Academy

In planning for the Pythian option, the district worked extensively with Paragon Architecture to develop fairly detailed plans, including renderings for the school and how the site would be used.

No information was provided Friday about whether the initial plans can be reused for the new site, which is smaller and shaped differently.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: New home for Pipkin: SPS enters contract to buy nearby 8.8 acres in Midtown