Morgan State Plans To Turn Lake Clifton HS Site Into Satellite Campus, Officials Say
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Morgan State University has agreed to buy the former site of Lake Clifton High School and plans to invest $200 million turning an approximately 73-acre parcel into a new satellite campus, city officials said.
The Land Disposition Agreement includes a 59-acre parcel with the former school and 14 acres of adjacent property.
Under the terms of the agreement, Morgan State will demolish the former school, stabilize the historic Valve House, restore five public artworks on the campus, relocate a basketball court and construct a convocation center.
Once a master plan for the site is approved by the Baltimore City Planning Commission, Morgan State will spend the next 15 to 20 years developing the site, with initial plans calling for academic buildings, athletic fields, a wellness center and mixed-use housing at the satellite campus.
"This is a wonderful development for our City," Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott said. "This development will create new jobs, generate much-needed tax revenue, breathe new life into the surrounding communities and provide one of our region's strongest institutions space to grow."
Morgan will pay the city $93,652.80 for the property, covering the balance of unpaid bond debt service the city owes the state. By selling off the property, the city stands to save $724,379 in annual maintenance and security costs, Comptroller Bill Henry's office said.
"It's fitting that we convey this vital community asset to one of our City's most important anchor institutions," Henry said. "Morgan State is the perfect partner to lead the revitalization of the former Lake Clifton High School building."
The Baltimore City Department of Real Estate, housed within the Office of the Comptroller, announced the agreement on Friday.
As part of the 21st Century Schools Program, the city has to surplus 26 former school buildings.
The agreement is still subject to the approval of the Board of Estimates, the Morgan State University Board of Regents and the Maryland Board of Public Works.
The Board of Estimates is scheduled to hear a presentation on the proposal during its April 6 meeting.
In a statement, Morgan State University president David K. Wilson said the agreement would be a "monumental advancement" for the historically Black institution.
"Through the acquisition of this important property, we are laying the foundation for a brighter future of opportunity," he said. "With support from the local community and the City of Baltimore, we will be able to not only expand our footprint and our access to the communities we serve but also acquire a new site that will play a vital role in the education of our students while also driving local investment."