The McAllen Independent School District Board of Trustees voted 6-1 to list the now-derelict James Bonham Elementary School at 2400 Jordan Road in South McAllen Monday evening.
The district opted last May to close the Bonham campus due to shrinking enrollment and needed repairs.
The campus consists of about 12.87 acres of usable land, an administrator said, and is considered surplus since the administration has no plans to use it for staff or students.
Arely Benavides, assistant superintendent of district operations, told the board that the district is going through the process of vacating and turning off power to the building.
“I do believe that the ongoing maintenance will be minimal; nonetheless, I think we have found that properties that are vacant in neighborhoods — we currently have another property that we’re trying to dispose of — is probably not a good look for that neighborhood,” she said. “And so it’s something that we should try to avoid if possible, unless there are plans for the property.”
Tony Forina was the sole trustee to oppose the listing. After the meeting he said he viewed the property as a sort of ace in the hole for the district that could be played in future development projects, not unlike the Crockett Administrative Annex property.
The board spent many evenings discussing possibilities for that property’s future last year.
“I think that we’ve done enough clearing of the surplus property, and I think it would be a good opportunity for us to have one in our back pocket in case something else came up,” Forina said. “Whether it be a trade of land with another municipality entity, or just something that we see down the road and we say ‘Hey, we’d like to develop this.’”
