Former Kansas City, Mo., middle school will become a recreation center
The Kansas City (Mo.) district is selling a former middle school to a developer who will convert it to a recreation center.
The Kansas City Star reports the the 20-acre Robeson Middle School property will be sold to South Waldo Community Investors LLC.
The group hopes to complete the sale in October and begin an $8.6 million renovation that will result in a recreation center open to the public.
The district closed Robeson in 2006, but has held on to the property for possible re-use. Last year, it decided to put the 151,800-square-foot campus up for sale.
Sean Pickett, a lawyer who’s part of the redevelopment team, says the recreation center will have indoor basketball, volleyball and soccer courts and two outdoor soccer/rugby/football fields.
Other planned amenities include classrooms for culinary and crafts use, a theater for community use, a sports bar and a food vending area.
Converting the campus to a recreation center will return the facility to its origins. It was built in 1957 as a Jewish Community Center.
About the Author
Mike Kennedy
Senior Editor
Mike Kennedy has been writing about education for American School & University since 1999. He also has reported on schools and other topics for The Chicago Tribune, The Kansas City Star, The Kansas City Times and City News Bureau of Chicago. He is a graduate of Michigan State University.
