Toll Bros., Rockwell Vying For Phoenixville Kindergarten Property Along With Borough

PHOENIXVILLE, PA — Developers Toll Brothers and Rockwell have bid on the Kindergarten Center property that PASD has for sale, at more than double the offer that Phoenixville Borough has made.

The PASD Board will explain the details of four offers on Thursday night. The Phoenixville Area School District Board of Directors has planned an informational meeting for interested community members, who can join the Board in a second conversation around the pending sale of the Kindergarten Center property. The meeting is Nov. 4 from 7 to 8 p.m. in the Phoenixville Area High School cafeteria.

The sale of the East Pikeland property and the Kindergarten Center have been on the District's Building and Grounds agenda for the past year. In early spring and summer of 2021 the District received multiple bids.

The four offers for the property range from $1.75 million to $3.9 million. PASD administration recommended to the Board that it be allowed to negotiate with buyers.

The property is for sale, the District explained, because the District's needs outgrew the building several years before it actually moved students out to multiple mobile classrooms that were added to address the growing need.

Several developers have made bids. Toll Brothers is offering $3.9 million and would build townhomes on the property, the District said.

Rockwell also would develop townhomes, bidding $3.77 million.

Both Toll Brothers' and Rockwell's proposed developments would add about 20 students, would take 24 months for approvals, and would bring tax revenue of $100,000 to $150,000 for the property in its present condition. However, once developed, tax revenue could be between $500,000 and $800,000 per year, the District said.

"We have a responsibility to all of the taxpayers who live in PASD to maximize the revenue possibilities—not just for the sale, but ongoing tax revenue." District's presentation said.

Erin Development is offering $1.72 million. It expects it would take only 90 days for its zoning approval. Erin would make payment in full after zoning approval, as opposed to Toll Brothers and Rockwell's 24 months, the District's presentation explained. Tax revenue is expected to be the same for Erin as for the other two developers.

If sold to one of the developers who is proposing to build townhomes, the number of units would become the responsibility of the Borough of Phoenixville, not the School District, the presentation explained.

Phoenixville Borough made a fourth offer of $1.8 million in a plan that would add an Education Center. It would take 36 months or more to secure funding that would come through grants that have yet to be applied for. The Borough's proposed use would not increase student enrollment and would produce no ongoing tax revenue.

A recent video outlines the Borough plans for the SoMax hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) project at the Waste Water Treatment Plant adjacent to the Kindergarten Center. It includes a brief description of the Education Center planned if they acquire the property.

Members of the Phoenixville Borough Council are invited to join the Nov. 4 meeting. On Nov. 10, Phoenixville Borough Manager Jean Krack is on the Borough's agenda for the Buildings and Grounds Committee Meeting.

See details about each of the offers here.

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