BY BERNIE MIXON
The Cincinnati Enquirer
For years, Elder High School has sought to purchase a 2.5-acre site along Glenway Avenue to increase campus size and provide much-needed parking for students.
Last month, the school purchased the property at 4005 Glenway Ave., which housed a Revco Drug Store and an auto parts store -- both of which have stopped doing business -- for $600,000.
Now the school will take the summer to decide what to do with the building. The transaction will translate into about 80 more parking spaces for students.
"For the first time in our history, we will have access to a major street," said Tim Otten, principal at Elder. "We are landlocked. We don't have any frontage. We're surrounded by homes."
The school showed interest in the property back in 1974 when it needed a new gymnasium and the library was becoming obsolete. Although Elder was unable to purchase the building at the time, the school has maintained a good relationship with the owner -- who allowed the school to use a portion of the parking.
"We have a small lot that is pretty much for the faculty and staff," Mr. Otten said. "We have 1,000 students. The upperclassmen drive. There is no off-street parking for them except part of this lot. The owner graciously let students park in the north section." The school again became interested in purchasing the property in 1995. In the fall of 1996, the owner was willing to sell it, said Toby Heile, director of development for Elder High School.
"It's taken us quite a while to close this deal, but we finally completed it at the end of April," Mr. Heile said.
With the parking problem addressed, the real question becomes what to do with the building.
"We are going to examine our needs to see what needs we have as a school," Mr. Otten said. "Whether we keep the building, knock it down or build something else."
