Buchanan City Commissioners are welcoming a new development at a former school building on Claremont Street.
At their regular meeting Monday, commissioners were asked to allow the transfer of an Obsolete Property Rehabilitation Exemption Certificate for 502 Claremont to its new owner, Dr. Ayana Redding. She’s purchased the former HC Stark Elementary building to be turned into a nursing school.
The sale was completed in August and Redding told commissioners she wants to help address the shortage of nurses by training students in several areas.
“The third level — I call it the third level — is going to be for the RN program, but the other level is for the other allied health, like medical assistant, phlebotomy, pharmacy technician, so other allied health services,” Redding said.
Redding’s ALR Educational Health Services already operates a nursing school in Niles. She’s now working to get accreditation for the new school and said major improvements are being made to the building.
Mayor Mark Weedon said he’s excited to see something happening at the former school which has been vacant for 14 years.
“It’s going to be amazing,” Weedon said. “What it’s going to do to transform not only the school, but the opportunities for the kids coming out of the CTE programs here locally in Buchanan. My understanding is you’ve been in conversation with the school systems, which is fantastic.”
Redding was seeking the tax abatement transfer from the property’s previous owner, Claremont Stark, LLC. The abatement will run through 2035 and held Redding recoup some of the renovation costs.
Commissioners approved the transfer unanimously.
