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Island Avenue School Sale Likely Going to February Referendum Vote

The Board of Selectmen (BOS) has recommended the potential sale of the property known as the Island Avenue School be included as part of a larger referendum in February. Though not logistically or financially part of the School Renewal Plan and Academy building projects also set for that February vote,  the sale of this property will likely be part of that public referendum as well, pending the town's receipt of further information from the potential buyer.

A tentative deal has been confirmed by town officials, though the town requires additional documents and data from the potential buyers before the sale is approved to proceed to referendum.

This past August, the BOS approved the start of negotiations with Our Lady of Mercy Preparatory Academy (OLMPA), the current tenants of the building. Currently, the town is asking for $2.3 million for the OLMPA to purchase the site.

The site was shuttered in 2019 as Madison redistricted in response to declining enrollment. The town has since sought a permanent sale or use of the property. Town officials and residents had concerns that it might sit in limbo, like the Academy building, if the town could not agree on a solution.

OLMPA has leased the property since the town withdrew from it, and that organization has clearly expressed to the town that it was interested in making it their permanent home. Only two other entities put forward proposals to purchase and develop the property for housing, which according to a semi-formal poll undertaken in 2020, was an option that most residents and officials did not want to see occur.

In other December action, the town approved the purchase of what is known as the Janssen property, which is critical to the School Renewal Plan. That sale is tied to whether the referendum is approved by voters. If the referendum is not passed in February, the sale would be vacated and the land put back up for sale.

Editor's note: An earlier version of this story erroneously stated that the proposed sale had been approved by the Board of Selectmen.