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After a required public hearing, the City of LaGrange signed off on an extension to the 2021 agreement, Dawson Street School redevelopment project.

In 2021, the city sold the former Dawson Street School property to Atlanta-based developer Tammy Finley. At the time Finley acquired the former school for $10,000 in exchange for rehabilitating the property by converting the school into housing. 

At the time, the former school building was in a dire state. Vagrants were living in the building, the roof was caving in and it was generally a liability for the city. People had expressed interest in purchasing the property but not without the city tearing down the school, which was expected to cost around $500,000. 

Finley was able to purchase the property for a low price with the caveat that it be renovated within three years, otherwise, she would have to pay an additional $50,000 for the property.

The city agreed to sell Finley the property because they had no use for it and needed the housing that Finley promised. Plus it didn’t have to pay $500,000 to tear the building down.  

At the previous council work session, Finley asked the city to extend the agreement for two additional years so she could follow through with the housing plans. Finley said COVID and inflation delayed the project. She said he also intends to seek historic tax credits to help pay for the redevelopment.

During the public hearing, no one spoke for or against the extension, which was later unanimously approved by the council.

Everything in the original agreement that was formerly required to be done in 36 months, is now 60, adding two years to it.

In other business, the council:

• Called for a public hearing on Oct. 8 to hear comments on a Board of Planning and Zoning Appeals recommendation to rezone approximately 2.2 acres on Williams Street from Campus General Industrial and Agribusiness (CP-GI) to Traditional Neighborhood Residential (TN-R)
• Declared city-owned property on Brown Street across from the Griggs Center as surplus and placed it out for bid with a minimum bid of $45,000.
• Abandoned an alley behind 1100 Murphy Avenue at the property owner’s request.
• Approved a Special Use Permit for a personal care home located at 137 Parker Place.
• Approved a UDO text amendment regarding garage door width and minimum porch size
• Approved a UDO text amendment regarding minimum lot frontage