By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post

The Hays USD 489 school board approved a contract extension Monday night for a developer who wants to buy the Washington school building.

Overland Property Group presented an addendum to its contract to allow it to reapply for tax credits to turn the school into low-income apartments.

The school is being vacated by the Early Childhood Connections, which is moving to the Oak Park complex next week.

The addendum will allow the school district to re-market the building for two months. The school district can take an offer equal to or higher than the $500,000 purchase price being offered by Overland Property Group.

Board member Greg Schwartz said he did not think the school district would find a buyer that will offer more than $500,000. He supported signing the addendum to the agreement.

“The risk is if we don’t sign it, they can yank it at any time,” he said.

A representative of the Overland Property Group told the board at a prior meeting he is hopeful his organization will be able secure the tax credits needed for the project next year.

The developer received a letter form the director of Housing Development supporting the project. The department indicated the developer’s application had scored well on all aspects of its application with the exception of the rent structure. Overland Property is working to restructure its application to meet this requirement.

Overland Property Group has another housing complex on Main Street in Hays. That complex is consistently full, according to the developer.