DeKalb School District, county government close on exchange of three properties

After two years of discussions, the DeKalb County School District (DCSD) and DeKalb County government completed the process to exchange properties at three locations, paving the way for the construction of a new elementary school and parks.

“We are pleased to work out a deal that’s beneficial to all residents of DeKalb County,” said Superintendent R. Stephen Green. “The school district receives land upon which it can build a first-class campus for students, and the citizens receive new park land. Cooperation and collaboration will always lead to great results, and this exchange is proof of that.”

The organizations concluded the following swap:

• DCSD purchased 7.35 acres of Pleasantdale Park, 3686 Pleasantdale Road, Atlanta, for $3.227 million. The purchase will allow the district to tear down the current Pleasantdale Elementary School and build a new $23.6 million campus on site without moving students in the area.
• The school district sold a 2.44-acre portion of the Margaret Harris property for $250,000 to the county for the purpose of a new park. The land is located at 1634 Knob Hill Drive NE in Atlanta.
• DCSD also sold the 2.84-acre Rehoboth Park property to DeKalb County for $280,000. The property is located at 3105 Tolbert Drive in Decatur.

The exchanges were approved by the DeKalb County Board of Education at its monthly meeting on March 19.

“Providing more parkland and property for a new school in underserved areas has a direct impact on improving the quality of life for all our citizens. This land transfer and acquisition is a great example of the partnership between DeKalb County Schools and DeKalb County Government,” said DeKalb CEO Michael Thurmond.