Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School officials have been on the hunt for a location to build a new elementary school building in Wayne Township, replacing and expanding the capacity of the maxed-out Durbin Elementary School.  School officials cannot expand the current Durbin site in Wayne Township due to the lack of water and sewer hookups.

The HSE School Board voted unanimously Wednesday night to purchase about 40 acres of land located at 156th Street and Boden Road, in the City of Noblesville.  The contract approved by the board calls for a payment of $47,500 per acre to the current owner, which puts the total cost in the range of $1.7 million to $1.9 million.

Superintendent Allen Bourff said the elementary school, if constructed, would need about 22 acres of land, allowing the school corporation the option of constructing another school building on that tract of land in the future.

School corporation attorney David Day said there are long-range plans that call for the possibility of a roundabout construction at the 156th Street and Boden Road intersection.  Day also said that per school Financial Officer Mike Reuter, the school district has sufficient funds to pay for the land without the need of a bond issue.

Bourff added that if the board decides to build an elementary school on the newly purchased acreage, he plans to retain the current Durbin Building and use it for other purposes.

Board Member Brad Boyer asked about the need for a new elementary building in light of the demographer’s projection of fewer kindergarten through 4th grade students in the future.  Bourff responded that this will not be an additional building, but will replace the current Durbin building and take pressure off nearby elementary buildings with overcrowding issues.