The short list of developers for the Steveston secondary site got shorter last Tuesday. Richmond School Board members have narrowed it down to three potential applicants.
They were all very high calibre, and I was very impressed with all of them, said board chair Donna Sargent.
The board will convene for a summer meeting on July 22 to consider the three submissions.
Last month, five residential developers were chosen over a dozen who applied to build on the 13-acre site along No. 2 Road.
Board members based their criteria on value (financial compensation the district would receive), vision (for the neighbourhood that takes into account its surroundings) and voice (ensuring the residents have a say).
Voice was really important because we really want a developer who will engage with the community and work with the city because the next phase is the rezoning, said Sargent.
Once a developer has been chosen, the process will be open to rounds of public consultation. The site will also have to be rezoned by the city, according to Sargent, which is currently only designated for educational purposes.
The Ministry of Education approved the sale of the land in April, and since then the board has been working with private developers and the city to find an eligible buyer.
It was previously determined that the land of the former Steveston secondary school was no longer needed for educational purposes due to a projected lack of growth in the area.
The district hopes to use the money received from the sale towards a new school in the fast-growing city centre, estimated to cost around $40 million.
