Lexington District 2 swaps land with Lexington Health to build $50M school

Lexington School District 2 is swapping property with Lexington Health as the growing district moves forward with plans to demolish and replace Congaree Elementary School in South Congaree. The new campus would cost about $50 million and nearly double the school’s student capacity.

FULL STORY: Lexington district to acquire land from health giant as it plans $50M school

Here are key takeaways:

• The deal: Lexington Health will receive a 12-acre plot at 2305 Platt Springs Road in West Columbia — the former site of the demolished George I. Pair Elementary School — in exchange for land in South Congaree. West Columbia city council unanimously approved a first reading.

• The new school: The district plans to demolish Congaree Elementary, built in 1959, and replace it with a 110,000-square-foot campus designed to serve about 800 students. The current school accommodates about 450.

• The cost and timeline: The project will cost about $50 million. Design work begins this spring, with completion expected in June 2029.

• Why it’s needed: More than 2,000 new residential units are expected in South Congaree and Pine Ridge over the next 10 years, and district officials said greater capacity is needed.

• What’s next for the traded land: West Columbia Mayor Tem Miles said Lexington Health plans to use the Platt Springs Road property for “long-term plans” with “nothing in the immediate future.”

The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. The full story in the link at top was reported, written and edited entirely by journalists.