The chance of a Keller ISD elementary school and a Studio 6 extended-stay motel sharing the same block is no more.
During its April 25 board meeting, Keller ISD approved the purchase of a 2.22-acre property adjacent to the district’s Basswood Elementary School in a proactive move to protect students, district officials said.
The property, 3056 Clay Mountain Trail, Fort Worth, was originally set for motel development until concerns about safety and appropriateness spurred the district to intervene. Now, a little more than two months after community backlash, board members approved the land purchase for $3.2 million, according to the district.
“This is a big win for Keller ISD and the Basswood Elementary community,” Superintendent Tracy Johnson, who wasn’t present at the April 25 meeting, said in a press release. “I hope that having this property in the hands of the district will provide (the community) with a level of comfort.”
Not only does the acquisition prevent the motel’s construction, board president Charles Randklev said, it also provides the district with land that could be developed into green space or used for expansion of school facilities.
“One of our primary functions is in the safety and security of our kiddos,” Randklev said. “An extended-stay motel so close to our elementary school doesn’t fit within that function or vision.”
When the district learned about the motel’s construction in February, administrators found avenues to halt construction immediately, board members said. Charles Lauersdorf, a Fort Worth City Council member who represents the area, called a town hall meeting Feb. 21, during which parents and community members expressed fears that such a development could attract crime and jeopardize student safety.
“We attended the town hall forum, and we were pretty concerned in terms of our concern for our community at Basswood,” Randklev said.
Johnson and the district began negotiations the next day. Using the city of Fort Worth as a go- between, Keller ISD, Studio 6 developer Basswood Investments LLC and future owner Dev Surati agreed on the $3.2 million price for the empty lot.
While the agreement includes potential cost-sharing with the city, the purchase will come out of the district’s fund balance, or its reserves, according to the district. Keller ISD held a fund balance of $47.1 million for the 2022-23 school year. The Texas Education Agency recommended the district’s fund balance be at $84.3 million.
The purchase also comes as Keller ISD faces a potential $27 million deficit to its 2024-25 general budget, which will be presented in the next few months.
“Yes, we’re in financial straits, and this is not money we want to spend, but… this is the appropriate action to protect our kids,” trustee Chris Coker said. “The opportunity to purchase now rather than trying to do so later makes a lot of sense for the district.”
And, if population growth occurs within Basswood Elementary attendance boundaries, this land could be crucial for expansion, Coker said.
While the approval comes as a relief to most parents, community members have previously placed some fault on the district’s past administrations for the school’s placement. Keller ISD bought the land for Basswood Elementary in 2007 from Home Depot, and built the school right behind the hardware store in 2008.
Still, the approval is a win for all, board members said.
Matthew Sgroi is an education reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at matthew.sgroi@fortworthreport.org or @MatthewSgroi1 on X. At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.
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