Atiyeh said he will turn the building into a
residential community of
about 40 units that will appeal primarily to senior citizens.
''It worked out, we settled it, they're happy, I'm happy, we're going
to move forward,'' he said.
Atiyeh said the sale will officially close at the end of March, and he
hopes to start construction in April.
District Superintendent Robert Spengler and board President Penny Hahn
could not be reached for comment.
The Catasauqua Area School District's 2006-07 budget, which raised
property taxes 20 percent from the previous year, included among its
revenue sources an estimated $600,000 from the sale of the building.
The board initially had accepted a bid of $1.5 million for the building
from Atiyeh, hoping that the money would help the district's financial
situation.
But an initial attempt to complete the sale fell
through, and the two sides ended up working out a ''negotiated sale,''
an agreement between the two parties that requires court approval,
School Director Dale Hein said.
The negotiated sale, which
still hasn't passed through the court system, will enable the district
to acquire the money in time for the current budget, Hein said.
Had the district reopened bids on the building, it would not have
acquired the revenue from the sale of the school until next year, he
said, noting that Atiyeh has paid $300,000 down on the building.
''That was definitely part of our concern in doing this negotiated
sale,'' he said.
Atiyeh said he found physical problems with the building. Beyond saying
he will fix them, he declined to go into detail.
Originally built as an elementary school in 1897, Lincoln was replaced
last fall when the district's old high school was converted into a
middle school. The district opened a new high school in Allen Township
at the beginning of the 2005-06 school year.
Atiyeh said he
likes Catasauqua because it is close to Whitehall Township's shopping
districts, Lehigh Valley International Airport and other conveniences.
He said he may consider letting the community, at no charge, use the
school's gym, which has become a community icon.
''If it's a community outreach,'' he said, ''it will be no charge.''
kirk.jackson@mcall.com
610-820-6527