EVERETT — A proposal to begin demolishing the Everett School District’s Longfellow building failed to pass Tuesday night.
The district is likely to seek new bids “that are more competitive,” Superintendent Gary Cohn said in a news release Thursday.
The lowest bid came in around $2 million — about $660,000 more than the district estimated for the work. The vote was a tie, meaning a stalemate, according to a district spokeswoman.
School Board Directors Pam LeSesne and Traci Mitchell were in favor, while Carol Andrews and Caroline Mason were opposed. Ted Wenta, who has since resigned for health issues, was not present.
The Longfellow building is a former elementary school that opened in 1911. It later was used as office space. It has sat vacant for about five years.
The location is 3715 Oakes Ave., next to Everett Memorial Stadium and close to the district headquarters on Broadway. The demolition includes the annex building.
The site is planned to be used for parking, with 48 stalls. The project will be funded by revenues other than bonds and levies, according to the district.
The demolition plans have drawn criticism from preservation groups. In recent weeks, Everett firefighters and others have been working with school officials to collect items of historical interest from the property.
Rikki King: 425-339-3449; rking@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @rikkiking.
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