JMU may lease high school

Jonathan Taylor / contributing photographer Some Harrisonburg residents do not support the possibillity of JMU leasing Harrisonburg High School, according to Donald Ford, superintendent of schools.

The city of Harrisonburg is making plans to lease Harrisonburg High School to JMU for $7.5 million over five years.

JMU spokesman Andy Perrine said the city has reached an agreement of principle which suggests the city and university would move forward with the lease if everything is approved by the school board.

Miriam Dickler, Harrisonburg public information officer, said the city is not in the position to negotiate with JMU yet because the school board still needs to decide if the school is surplus and could be used for something else.

"The terms have been agreed, but the final [lease] still has to be negotiated," Dickler said.

Perrine said if the lease goes through, JMU plans to use the facilities for academic and faculty office space. There are also plans to use the fields for intramural and intercollegiate sports.

Donald Ford, superintendent of schools, said the proposed lease has raised questions throughout the Harrisonburg community.

"There have been significant concerns raised by residents in the [school] area," Ford said. "Some have said in public session that they do not want JMU as a neighbor."

Ford said some residents have raised questions about potential parking problems and the preservation of the historic facilities if the lease occurs.

Some residents of the community also worry that the high school would be used as a residence hall.

However, Perrine said JMU has no plans to use the facilities for student housing.

"It makes no sense to put dorms so far away from the main campus," Perrine said. "That was never in the plan."

The city of Harrisonburg began investigating options for the high school facilities about five years ago and initially contacted JMU with the idea, Perrine said.

"JMU is always looking for space," Perrine said. "In the past 12 years, the [student body] has grown so much."

"I think from the city’s perspective it’s an opportunity … to provide educational space for city students," Dickler said. "It is a win-win situation because JMU gets more space and the city has the mechanism to use a building and get revenue from that building."