If you can afford at least $2.6 million, Harris Elementary School could be yours.
The Tooele County School Board voted to declare the school as surplus property at a meeting Tuesday and to sell it to the highest bidder above the appraised value of $2.6 million.
Harris Elementary became empty on Jan. 2 when Sterling Elementary moved into its new building at 135 S. Seventh Street in Tooele City. Harris Elementary is located at 251 N. First Street.
Harris Elementary first welcomed students in 1953. An additional classroom wing was added in 1962, the kitchen was built in 1978, a boiler room was added in 1991, and a gym addition was built in 1997. The building now totals 58,858 square feet and sits on 10.34 acres.
The last school building closed and sold by the school district was Central Elementary School, near the Tooele City Library. Closed in 1994, the school district sold Central School in 2001 to a local developer who converted the building into condominiums.
There are over 500 school buildings for sale across the nation listed on LoopNet, an internet site that lists commercial property for sale. LoopNet does not have any public school buildings in Utah listed for sale.
An internet search reveals a variety of uses for former school buildings, including residential space, artist studios, commercial space, community and recreation centers, movie theaters, hotels, and senior housing.
Harris Elementary was named Sterling R. Harris Elementary by the school board at the time Harris was serving as the district’s superintendent.
Born in Mexico and raised in Canada, Harris came to Tooele in 1926 to teach and coach, which he did for 11 years. In 1937, Harris left teaching to work as the personnel director for the Tooele Smelter and Refining Company. After three years, he returned to work for the Tooele County School District as superintendent, a position he held for 25 years until he retired at the age of 65 in 1965.
As a coach, Harris played an instrumental role in uniting Tooele’s ethnically divided “Old Town” and “New Town.” He recruited both Mormon youth from Old Town and European immigrant youth from New Town to play on the same football team at Tooele High School.
Harris led the united team to successful state championships in 1928 and 1929, and again in 1933 and 1937.
The sale of Harris Elementary is being handled by David “Gumby” Gumucio, a real estate agent with New West Realty Group LLC. He can be reached at 435-830-3337.