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The Dartmouth
March 28, 2024 | Latest Issue
The Dartmouth

College may purchase Hanover High School

Dartmouth officials are currently in discussions to purchase the property on which Hanover High and Middle Schools sit, on Lebanon Street behind the Memorial Field.

Any land deal would involve new facilities for the two schools being constructed on land already owned by the College further from downtown Hanover.

Officials of the school district of which Hanover High is a part have been looking at a number of ways to improve facilities at the two schools for several years, Associate Director of Real Estate Larry Kelly said.

Discussions about a possible property transaction have been going on for a couple of months, but remain in the preliminary stages, Director of Public Affairs Laurel Stavis said yesterday.

"It's really too early to say what the outcome will be," she said, indicating, however, that both Dartmouth and the school board are interested in working out an equitable contract.

"The conversations between Dartmouth and the school board are progressing quite well. The discussions are substantive and quite fruitful," Stavis said. "We all hope that we can move towards a conclusion that will benefit both the community and the College."

According to Stavis, both Dartmouth and Hanover High officials will be deciding whether or not it is in their best interests for the College to purchase the land in the upcoming two months.

There will be a community discussion for members of the Hanover and Dartmouth communities prior to the signing of any deal, she said.

College officials who spoke with The Dartmouth said that there are no firm plans for the use of land on which the schools currently sit.

One use that has been mentioned is student housing, Kelly said, adding that the College has hired consultants to look into possible a variety of ways to utilize the land.

"It's conceivable that it might be cheaper to knock things down and start over," Kelly said.