Bower Elementary School Appraisal Completed

The Lindenhurst School District could cash in up to an estimate $6.5 million on the closed Bower Elementary School on West Montauk Highway, according to an appraisal released by the district.

The appraisal, conducted by Rogers & Taylor Appraisers, Inc., noted the entire property Bower Elementary sits on, all 216,400 square feet including the athletic fields and the school building, were estimated to be worth between $5,460,000 and $6,560,000.

The appraisers made a separate value range for the property, excluding the athletic field on the south portion, of between $5,225,000 and $6,325,000, or roughly 3.5 percent less than the total estimated value.

The appraisal only valued the open athletic fields at $235,000.

The appraisal was made earlier this year and reflects the value of the property on the date it was completed – March 19, 2013.

In the summary of the appraisal, James Taylor and Lawrence Giunta, the appraisers for Rogers & Taylor Appraisers, Inc. noted the property was located in a split-zoned area, with business on Montauk Highway up to a depth of 90 feet and the rest of the property being located in a "B Residence area."

Taylor and Giunta's report also stated the highest price and best use for the land would be "as improved and/or for residential subdivision use as zoned according to permitted uses."

The site is currently used as the home of a Christian church and storage for a foreign film company, according to the district.

The school was closed in June 2011. The building had originally opened for students in 1952.

A copy of the entire report can be found on the Lindenhurst School District's website.