AUBURN – The school department is looking at building a school to replace Lake Street Elementary School on one or two large parcels off Park Avenue.

The school system is considering a 9.9-acre Davis Avenue property owned by Arlyne Sacks of Auburn and a 9-acre Park Avenue property owned by William Huston of Cape Elizabeth. Business Manager Jude Cyr said officials are thinking about buying “one or the other or both. We’re looking at all our options.”

Officials have to wait a few more weeks to get the School Committee’s OK to buy any land. Wednesday’s scheduled committee meeting was canceled because of the weather.

Auburn officials started looking for a place to build a new school last month after Education Commissioner Susan Gendron said the state would not help the city expand the Lake Street Elementary School because the plan was too expensive, the site was too small and the project had too many constraints.

This week, the Building Committee narrowed eight prospective properties to two. Both owners are willing to sell, Cyr said. The school department has started the appraisal process.

Because Wednesday night’s meeting was canceled, the committee will vote to authorize a land purchase at its Jan. 7 meeting. That meeting will begin at 7 p.m. at Edward Little High School.

The committee will also vote on rescinding the purchase options officials obtained on five Lake Street neighborhood properties when Auburn was planning to expand the elementary school.

ltice@sunjournal.com

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