Canyons School District to purchase eBay building and land in Draper
Aug 20, 2024, 10:17 PM | Updated: 11:21 pm
DRAPER — The Canyons School District is set to open a new high school in 2026. The district has just announced plans to purchase the eBay building, along with 16 acres that sit at the southwest end of Draper.
District officials said the move would accommodate the massive growth expected as the old prison land is developed and would do so at a much less expensive price than building something new or renovating a current facility.
The $50 million purchase is set to be paid, in part, by the sale of existing assets the district isn’t using, along with lease-revenue bonds for the rest.
“In this new center, our students will become prepared for the high-demand jobs in silicon slopes and other growing industries in our state and across the country,” Rick Robins, Canyons School District Superintendent, said.
The Board said the eBay purchase is a good fit because it’s relatively new, built in 2013, is fully furnished, and comes at a much smaller price than what it would cost to build a new facility or even renovate something the district already has.
“As a global commerce leader who continues to innovate for our community of buyers and sellers, we’re excited that the Draper site could become a hub of learning, designed to cultivate the tech leaders of the future,” a release from eBay said.
There is no name for the school yet, other than the ‘Innovation Center.’ Plans would include a focus on career and technical education programming in areas like robotics, engineering, and medicine.
The board believes it could also house a vocational program for adults with disabilities, an employee health and wellness clinic, and even a child-care center for CSD employees.
In a four-to-one vote, Holly Neibaur was the only board member to vote against the plans, and she said that’s because of the bond. Neibaur said she wanted the people she represents to have a bigger say with more extensive public comment.
“I believe as a board member, it is my duty, obligation, and responsibility to inform the public, then listen to them and then represent them,” Neibaur said.
The first chance for the public to weigh in will be two weeks from Tuesday at the School Board meeting.
