The recession is helping the school system find land for a new elementary school in northwest Raleigh.

The school board voted Tuesday to pay $2.54 million for 30.834 acres at the intersection of Baileywick and Strickland roads. Wake is buying the site from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, which is the receiver for the parcel.

According to a 2008 Triangle Business Journal article, a subdivision had been planned there. But the bank foreclosed on the Raleigh real estate investment firm that owned the land.

The school board has junked plans to build a new elementary school in the Falls Lake watershed that had been opposed by the City of Raleigh.

As noted in today's North Raleigh News article, the school board voted last month to terminate the contract it had approved in January to pay $2.47 million for 30 acres on the northwest corner of Shooting Club and Creedmoor roads. The district is now looking for an alternative site in the northwest Raleigh area.

The decision was hailed by Raleigh leaders, who had opposed the construction of the school on that site because of concerns about its impact on the environmentally sensitive watershed.

School board member Ron Margiotta has never been a fan of that location, being one of two board members who had opposed buying the land in January. But he said that Raleigh and Wake County either needs to restrict development in the watershed or make it easier to build schoosl there.

Raleigh city leaders are not happy with the school system's proposal to build a new elementary school in the Falls Lake watershed.

As noted in today's North Raleigh News article, Raleigh officials are asking county commissioners not to approve the purchase. Last week, the school board had agreed to offer $2.47 million for 30 acres at the northwest corner of Creedmoor and Shooting Club roads.

"The city administration and previous city councils have been consistent in opposing schools in the watershed," said Raleigh City Manager Russell Allen in today's article.