Quote:
Originally Posted by slc801
I just wrote an email to Garbett home. If anyone wants to copy it, feel free to use it. Here it is:
To Whom It May Concern:
I was recently informed regarding Garbett's proposal regarding the former Granite High School property in South Salt Lake City. ...
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I do think that's a good idea; Garbett has seemed more reasonable than other developers, more progressive. There may be something they can do. Hopefully if they move forward with their 130 home plan, they'll be thoughtfully designed at least.
As a Granite School District employee, I agree with Sean about the other potential educational uses for the school, although I don't necessarily agree that becoming part of GSD Failed This City. That's been a struggling community (aging at one end, refugee central at the other)(not a bad thing, but makes education in particular difficult) for several decades now. Lincoln
Elementary, the one closest to the site, does use more of the charter school models, more outside-the-box approaches than any other. They also have twice the number of teacher aides, and some of our best teachers are in there trying to make a difference. I can say the same for Granite Park Jr High, which is a few blocks away from Granite.
I do think it's a shame that the school was closed instead of repurposed, becoming a magnet or charter school that could have been an asset instead of a liability. I know the teachers and administration who were at Granite tried multiple angles of approach with the Then-School Board and Superintendent, and that all got nowhere. (new supe, partially new school board since then, but they're not going to un-mothball a school)
Stepping off of the education soapbox:
Keep in mind that it's the residents of South Salt Lake who have voted down some of these proposals. Not approving the bond measure that would have made it into a community center and open space. Sean's criticism that SSL needs focus and a center is correct. I work there now, and in my current job I'm in those schools and community a lot. There are some great pockets, some sweet neighborhoods, some new development side-by-side with older housing similar to what's in the Sugarhouse and Liberty Park area.
So in addition to emailing Garbett (a great idea), also email the South Salt Lake city council, the mayor and the city planner. They're the ones who have the final say over what Garbett does with the land they're buying--have the city hold them accountable.
(or you know, have SLC annex SSL. And Millcreek. And all the everything else and make the county one city. But that just pisses people off who want to maintain their non-identity as Just Another Suburb)