May 11, 2017
New Town Schools will add housing this summer
By Jerry W. Kram
The New Town Public School District is already one of the biggest landlords in the community, and this summer it will be adding five more homes to its housing stock.
The District currently owns 47 units that is rents out for subsidized teacher housing. Superintendent Mark Bluestone outlined the district’s plans to continue developing a 10-acre parcel of land north of Dakota Drive in New Town to build five new homes. The district purchased the land in 2015 and put in utilities such as water and sewer, streets, curbs and gutter, and electricity in 2016. The school also moved its bus barns from the High School to the south side of the property to make room for the new CTE vocational education building.
Bluestone asked the school board’s approval to purchase five modular homes from Leichty Homes for $123,900 apiece. The price does not include hooking the homes up to sewer, water and electricity. Bluestone said the houses would be paid for out of the general fund, which would reserve the building fund for two other projects on the drawing board.
The first of the houses should be delivered in July. Bluestone that it would take two to three weeks to install each house. The houses will all be three-bedrooms and two baths. The platted neighborhood has room for two more streets of five houses, providing room for future growth.
Bluestone said the new units will not only allow New Town to attract and keep highly qualified teachers, but will allow the district to sell some it its current units back to the community.
The District currently owns 47 units that is rents out for subsidized teacher housing. Superintendent Mark Bluestone outlined the district’s plans to continue developing a 10-acre parcel of land north of Dakota Drive in New Town to build five new homes. The district purchased the land in 2015 and put in utilities such as water and sewer, streets, curbs and gutter, and electricity in 2016. The school also moved its bus barns from the High School to the south side of the property to make room for the new CTE vocational education building.
Bluestone asked the school board’s approval to purchase five modular homes from Leichty Homes for $123,900 apiece. The price does not include hooking the homes up to sewer, water and electricity. Bluestone said the houses would be paid for out of the general fund, which would reserve the building fund for two other projects on the drawing board.
The first of the houses should be delivered in July. Bluestone that it would take two to three weeks to install each house. The houses will all be three-bedrooms and two baths. The platted neighborhood has room for two more streets of five houses, providing room for future growth.
Bluestone said the new units will not only allow New Town to attract and keep highly qualified teachers, but will allow the district to sell some it its current units back to the community.
