The Maplewood Elementary School building and property are falling into disrepair. (Photo by Adela Crandell Durkee/for Chronicle Media)

Community School District 26 and the Village of Cary face an impasse for the sale and development of the property of Maplewood Elementary School, 422 Krenz Ave. in Cary as its building and property fall into disrepair.

Added to that is a growing public concern about how the re-development will impact the neighborhood. Dist. 26 and the village created a cross-functional committee to explore options.

The joint committee met Aug. 18 at Cary Junior High to begin the process. Jim Cosler and Ellen McAlpine represent the village, and Jennifer Crick and Chris Christiansen represent Dist. 26. Brian Coleman, Dist. 26 superintendent, led the meeting. Citizens got a chance to comment. The district is charged with selling the property, while the Village Board must approve what resides there.

In April, all signs pointed to a successful sales negotiation with Landover Development Corporation, which presented a conceptual site-plan to the village. Landover planned to build 224 market value apartments made up of two- and three-story buildings surrounding a park and clubhouse. Dist. 26 and Landover believed the concept fit the village’s Comprehensive Development Plan allows for mixed-use retail, residential, multifamily-type use.

Subsequent sales negotiations faltered, in part due to grass-roots resident-led efforts. The school property faces tree-lined streets of smartly landscaped 1940s era small Cape Cod and Tudor homes.

Objections included a misunderstanding that the development included affordable housing. As with other Illinois communities, Cary committed to 10 percent affordable housing as part of its comprehensive plan. According to Brian Simmons, Cary’s community development director, however, Landover did not acquire or seek grants to make them eligible to build affordable housing similar to those built by Pedcor on Congress Parkway in Crystal Lake or proposed for Cary’s 1^st Street Project.

In short, market-value apartments are the only type of housing Landover planned. Landover has since withdrawn bids. Dist. 26 is seeking new bids.

Coleman will create the agenda, with input from other committee members. Although a month delay in posting meeting minutes causes some frustration by the public, this is unavoidable, because the committee must approve the minutes before they are posted.

The four members of the public had a chance to add comments. One citizen expressed concern about high density housing for Cary. Another strongly suggested Dist. 26 donate the property to the park district for development and maintenance. A third person reminded the committee that another abandoned school, Oak Knoll Elementary, is facing the same fate, so it should be considered along with Maplewood.

The committee scheduled the next meetings Sept. 15 and Oct. 21 at 7:30 at Cary Junior High School. Dist. 26 will present the financial plan and how it relates to the sale and the village will present the comprehensive plan. All members agreed that these two items comprise the cornerstone for moving forward, rather than continuing to spin their wheels.

— Committee hopeful for fate of Cary’s Maplewood School property —