A Bowling Green attorney’s offer to buy the
Ridge Elementary property from the city is apparently going nowhere.Andrew Schuman told the Sentinel-Tribune
Thursday he had offered the school board and city $27,500 for the property and been "firmly" told
no by Municipal Administrator John Fawcett. In recent days Schuman said he sent emails to the city and
council members with an offer of $50,000 and has received no response.At its Oct. 7 meeting council approved
ordinances to purchase and demolish the property and borrow $200,000 to cover the project. The city is
paying $22,500 for the property.The school was built in 1931 and was used for that purpose until the end of
the 2012-13 school year.Fawcett was not available this morning but Assistant Municipal Administrator Lori
Tretter said the city has not yet closed on the property. "We are still waiting for the financing
component of the purchase. We take bids (on a $200,000 note) next week."City Attorney Michael Marsh
said this morning that legally there can be no private sale of public property. He said the city could
transfer the property to another government entity or an economic development agency. "The city would
have to have an auction, just like the school board planned."Marsh said he thinks city council
"made it pretty clear they did not want to get into a sale situation. They did not buy it to sell it.
The plan is to tear it down and make it green space," Marsh said.Schuman indicated he does not believe
anyone wants the building torn down and no one wants the area as green space.He wants to put his law office
in the building, rent the rest of the space to other businesses or create a mixed use with offices and
businesses on the first floor and housing on the second floor.Schuman said his $50,000 price would give the
city a $27,500 profit, avoid costs of mowing the law and not have to borrow $200,000.Planning Director
Heather Sayler said because the property is zoned S-3, planned institutional, it would have to be rezoned to
allow for offices or any residential use. Locating a non-profit in the building would be allowed under
S-3."It is a shame to tear down a historic building that is 80 years old, beautifies the neighborhood
and which is in perfectly good shape," Schuman said.