A group of Bexley community organizations are seeking funds for a feasibility study for the former Woodland Meadows apartment complex site.

Bexley Community Foundation board member David Bolon told ThisWeek the current group is made up of the Columbus School for Girls, Capital University, the Bexley Education Foundation, the Bexley Boosters and the city of Bexley. Representatives of Capital, CSG, the education foundation and the school district confirmed their involvement in the study.

The Bexley Community Foundation is acting as the facilitator of the conversation and will not be investing any funds at this time, Bolon said.

“We felt BCF’s involvement would be consistent with our mission by supporting any dialogue that would help foster the Bexley living experience,” he said. “We would be remiss in our duties to our mission if we did not support these initial discussions.”

Bolon said each group has contributed “an amount they felt was appropriate to contribute to allow a meaningful study of the property, potential uses commensurate with each group’s anticipated participation interest and a review of various governing structures by which the final design, if approved, could be created and implemented.”

Bolon said discussions have been ongoing for years.

“The idea was initially conceived about five years ago when the Woodland Meadows apartment complex was foreclosed on and razed by the city of Columbus,” Bolon said. “A group of Bexley athletic boosters who felt this to be a unique opportunity for the Bexley schools and the city of Bexley began a conversation, and that conversation has now developed into a more formal discussion.”

Bolon said the idea is “a rare opportunity that should be discussed and analyzed.”

The city of Columbus is aware of Bexley’s interest in the property, he said.

“Columbus is aware of our current conversation and is in support of any effort to improve the property,” Bolon said. “The report being compiled currently will help provide structure and direction to the effort to maximize the potential of the Woodland Meadows property.”

Bexley schools superintendent Michael Johnson recently told the school board that he was going forward with a grant application to the Bexley Education Foundation for $2,500. Those funds would go to community foundation to conduct a preliminary feasibility study of the Woodland Meadows property.

Johnson said the $2,500 would be included with funds from other entities, such as the Athletic Boosters.

Bexley Education Foundation spokesperson Suzanne Goldsmith-Hirsch confirmed that Johnson’s request has been approved.

The development of the property just outside of Bexley would enhance opportunities in the community, increase recreational and athletic facilities and involve partnerships with the city of Bexley and community groups such as Capital University and Columbus School for Girls, Johnson said.

Head of School Liza Lee confirmed CSG has contributed to the study.

“We want to support Bexley in their exploration of the Woodland Meadows property for possible use by Bexley residents, schools, and friends,” Lee said. “As Dr. Johnson stated, this project does not fall on CSG. We provided $2,500 for the property study because we felt that the study was important for Bexley.”

Johnson said he wanted to be careful to thoroughly review the environmental aspects of the project and assure board members that school district funds would not be used for the project.

“My wish here is that this not rest on school district financing and support in the future, because we are going to be under increasing pressure to focus on academic matters,” he said.

In June 2010, Columbus City Council approved the Columbus Development Department’s purchase of the 52-acre site. At that time, Columbus officials said they had no plans for redeveloping the property.

Columbus paid $2 million for the property and spent another $3 million to demolish the apartments in 2007.

“It would be nice to see the city get that back,” deputy development director Nichole Brandon told The Columbus Dispatch at the time of the purchase. Brandon called the property highly desirable because of its location near Port Columbus and the Defense Supply Center.

Columbus City Council members and development director Boyce Safford III told The Dispatch they hoped a new use for the property would provide jobs and generate taxes for the city.

Bolon declined to estimate how much it might cost to acquire the property from Columbus.

“I think it would be premature to speculate on any financial negotiations or how any agreements could be structured,” he said. “That will come later.”

Bolon did say he thinks the feasibility study will be completed sometime in 2012.

“We anticipate a complete report being available in four to five months,” he said. “Once the report is complete, we will be better able to analyze the opportunity in front of us. At that time we also will be better able to provide information for other interested participants who wish to be involved in the discussion.”