DPSCD board rejects nonprofit's offer to buy Cooley High School
(CBS DETROIT) - A Detroit nonprofit's bid to buy Cooley High School has been rejected by the Detroit Public Schools Community District board.
Chris Lambert, the CEO of Life Remodeled, called the board's decision an "extreme disappointment."
"We know there is absolutely nothing we could have done that would've changed this outcome," he said.
Lambert said the nonprofit spent the past three years trying to buy the now-vacant Cooley High School.
He said the nonprofit had plans to transform the building into a opportunity hub, which would offer workforce development and youth programming.
"We actually had signed agreement with 9 amazing nonprofits that were going to provide those kind of opportunities in the Cooley community," Lambert said.
Life Remodeled offered the school district $1 million for Cooley High School, up from the original offer of $400,000.
The nonprofit also gave the district another offer of 500,000, which did not include the athletic property on the school site.
In a statement to the Detroit Free Press, district spokesperson Chrystal Wilson said:
"The district rejected the latest Life Remodeled offer because it did not include commitments prior to the sale that the building and land would be used as the sale proposal outlines."
"Our plan did align with exactly what they wanted done with the property. We laid it out there completely for any Detroiter to see," Lambert said.
For the community's sake, Lambert said he hopes the district has a plan on what to do with Cooley High School.
As for Life Remodeled, Lambert said they'll look to find another building for their project.
"These opportunity hubs are the most impactful neighborhood revitalization strategies in the city," he said. "We are going to do this again and again. So our next step is to find another location."