The Haverford School Board unanimously approved the purchase of a 9-acre residential property at 201 Highland Lane near Coopertown Elementary School, writes Pete Bannan for the Daily Times.

Board members negotiated with the current owner for a purchase price of $4.3 million.

The property has a house and a pool with a guest house listed on the Delaware County historic register.

School board members didn’t say they had a specific use for the property but that owning it would give the school district future flexibility for school or programming space.

“A district may purchase land near property that the district already owns for various reasons, but I think the most important one is, it’s an opportunity,” said Dr. Mauren Reusche, superintendent.

The district, with 6,625 students, has been growing and will eventually need new construction. The past four years have added more than 200 students to the schools.

Commissioner Laura Cavender, representing the neighborhood where the property is located, said building a school there would be a lengthy process and would have to adhere to regulations regarding historic structures and environmental features of the property.

The school district would take ownership of the property in July.

Read more about the purchase of 201 Highland Lane in the Daily Times.

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