It is a 600 student elementary school that does not fit within the property or the neighborhood without destroying both. And it's not fair to have little kids walk from all over crossing Main, Franklin, Elm, and East Silver Streets to get to a school with great offices but no proper playground. The site is the one remaining public open space in this quarter of downtown.
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The new view down Cross Steet looking south towards the bend at East Silver. The "library tower" of the new school would be at the corner of Ashley Street. Some houses are 65 feet away from the 45 ft high main building and the even taller library tower.