Housing and remediation discussions continue for old Condon Grade School

Efforts to remediate and revitalize the old Condon Grade School were discussed by the Environmental Sentry Corp board of directors last week at its monthly meeting.

The Environmental Sentry Corp is the non-profit wing of the Port of Arlington. The non-profit has been utilized to help with remediation efforts on large projects that are outside of the Port's scope and abilities.

The Environmental Sentry Corps took ownership of the old Condon Grade School last year and has prioritized the remediation of hazardous materials, such as asbestos and lead.

The non-profit submitted a Brownfield grant proposal to the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to pay for the remediation work. Brownfield grants help with the cleanup of hazardous materials and industrial sites that can be redeveloped or repurposed.

The grant is expected to pay for the entire remediation effort at the old school, which could cost north of $1 million.

Beyond remediation, there is hope that the one-hundred-year-old building could be resurrected and turned into housing and mixed-use space. Similar projects have been successful for old schools in Baker City and elsewhere in the northwest.

Gibb Wilkins, who serves as Board Chair of the Environmental Sentry Corp., said that an estimate was provided for a complete renovation of the property – which would include 17 apartments, a recreation area, and common spaces. The high-end of the estimate is between $10- $13 million.

While the price tag seems high, there is hope that a private developer will show interest, and potentially complete the project at a lower cost should they purchase the property.

Kathryn Greiner, who serves as a board director with the Port of Arlington and Environmental Sentry Corp, said that a developer could take the project forward and spend much less than a public entity, who is bound by Oregon labor laws to hire union workers. Should the City of Condon do the redevelopment, they would be required to hire union workers.

Regardless of the path that is taken, whether the building is torn down or turned into housing, the Environmental Sentry Corp agreed that a plan needed to be in place as soon as possible – and to be ready when remediation work was completed.

"If we wait until remediation is done to look at other options, it will add years to the project," Gibb Wilkins said.

Because the scope of the non-profit is limited to remediation, the City of Condon will probably be asked to take the property back and to decide on its future. The board said that whoever takes over, whether it is the city or a private developer, it will likely happen by 2026.