The Great Falls Public Schools board voted during their Oct. 10 meeting to extend the sale deadline of Roosevelt School to Feb. 1.

The board voted unanimously in April to accept a $899,000 offer on the old Roosevelt Elementary from Alluvion Health.

The board’s acceptance of the offer did not finalize the sale, as the agreement comes with several contingencies including Alluvion’s ability to secure financing for the purchase and remodel of the building, as well as the necessary zoning and permitting from the City of Great Falls.

Alluvion requests extension for Roosevelt school purchase

If the contingencies cannot be met, the parties are released from the agreement on Sept. 23, 2022, and the property would remain under GFPS ownership. If the contingencies are met, closing on the sale is set for October, according to the buy-sell agreement.

Alluvion makes offer to purchase old Roosevelt School

Alluvion did not meet that deadline and requested an extension through Feb. 1.

Alluvion was the only bidder on the property.

GFPS buying duplex near Whittier for teacher housing; Roosevelt, Campfire properties listed

The offer of $899,000 remains the same for the property, according to GFPS.

Casey Schreiner of Alluvion told The Electric in September that they’re hoping to locate the childcare program, for which they recently received a $400,000 state grant, at Roosevelt, but the plan is still preliminary.

Alluvion receives grant for childcare program

He said they’d done a phase one brownfield assessment at the old Roosevelt School and are in the process of a second phase assessment.

Schreiner said in September that the grant dollars are one piece of a larger strategy for a child and family services center, “wherever it exists, but we hope that Roosevelt is the right location.”

GFPS approves real estate agent for Roosevelt, Campfire sale

Roosevelt School was initially approved for construction in 1911, but bids came in about $100,000 over budget, Patrick said, and it took until 1927 for construction to start with the initial building costing about $80,000.

Additions to the building were construction in 1939, 1950, and 1956. As a part of the 2016 master facilities plan the school was replaced by Giant Springs Elementary School. During the bond construction projects, it was used as a temporary school site during the construction of both Giant Springs Elementary School and Longfellow Elementary School.

The school was surplused by the board in June 2021, “because the property was determined to be obsolete, undesirable, or unsuitable for the school purposes of the district.”

GFPS selling Roosevelt Elementary, Campfire house

In August 2021, the board approved the advertisement of request for qualifications for a real estate agent services and selected Catalyst Commercial as the agent.

A market data analysis including comparable properties was completed and the sale price was established at $899,000.

According to state law, funds from the sale of district property must be credited to the debt service fund, building fund,
general fund, or other appropriate fund, at the discretion of the trustees.

Brian Patrick, GFPS business operations manager, said previously that the school board will determine the appropriate fund after the sale of Roosevelt has been completed.