Former Carrollton school property sells for $210,000 at auction

Bell-Herron Gymnasium came alive Feb. 10 with more than 100 in attendance for the property auction of the former Carrollton High School/Elementary site on Third Street.

“It is a bittersweet day,” said Carrollton Board of Education President Dan Ries. “Hundreds of thousands of kids spent their childhood there, including myself [sic]. We are happy with the final amount. The money will be used to create memories for future generations of Warriors.”

After about an hour of bidding, all eight lots sold to three bidders for $210,000.

In the end, Jimmy and Joey Galbraith bought Parcels 1-6 with a $180,000 bid. Ken Joseph bought Lot 7 for $13,000 and Joshua Proctor purchased Lot 8 for $17,000.

Steve Cronebaugh of Cronebaugh Auction & Realty conducted the auction of the former school property along with Bob Hall, with the listing co-managed by Bill Newell of Newell Realty & Auctions LLC. The sale, subject to school board confirmation, involved eight vacant residential lots following demolition of the former building.

Prior to bidding, Cronebaugh explained the property was being sold as-is, with a 10% non-refundable down payment due the day of the auction, no buyer’s premium and closing to be handled by Stoneman Title Agency. Survey work is being completed by Joe Milano of Bodo Surveying, with a $1,000 per-parcel survey cost assessed if sold individually. Oil, gas and mineral rights will not convey.

The demolition contractor removed the structure to 12 inches below grade, and buyers were advised that unknown conditions may exist below that depth.

Prior to bidding, Josh DeCarlo, building and zoning inspector for the Village of Carrollton, said the property is zoned RS-3 residential, allowing uses such as single-family homes, duplexes, churches, schools and certain care facilities, with plans subject to village approval.

The sale was not straightforward. Parcels 1-6 were offered first under a bidder’s choice format. Parcel 1 brought $27,000, while a single bidder purchased Parcels 2, 3, 4 and 5 at $30,000 each. Parcel 6 initially reached $17,500, bringing the six-parcel total to $164,500 before bidding opened on the combined package.

The grouped offering climbed to $175,000, prompting a defender-position round in which parcel bidders were given a one-time opportunity to raise their bids. After adjustments, the total stood at $176,250 in individual parcels, and bidding resumed on the combined offering. The six parcels ultimately sold together for $180,000 to Jimmy and Joey Galbraith, pending board approval.

“The Carrollton Exempted Village School District would like to thank Steve Cronebaugh, Bob Hall and Bill Newell for their professional handling of the land auction that we held Feb. 10,” said Carrollton Schools Superintendent Dave Davis. “We’d also like to thank the more than 40 people who attended the auction and participated in the bidding process. We are hopeful that the property will serve its new owners as well as it served the tens of thousands of children who attended school on it for the past 113 years. They were the best of times.”