EV to get surplus Walker Army Reserve property

East Valley School District is waiting on the deed for the Walker Army Reserve Center after signing transition papers last week, school board chairwoman Kerri Lundstroth said.

No capital funds were used to acquire the property near Sullivan Road and B Street, Lundstroth said. The building was surplus and was transferred from the Department of Defense. Besides, Lundstroth added, the district doesn’t have the capital funds to purchase it outright.

The building will likely be used for the district’s career and technical education, vice chairman Mitch Jensen said, but they’re still waiting to see what use they’ll have for the building now that they have it.

The district has sought the property since 2007 when the Department of Defense built another reserve center at Fairchild Air Force Base. A similar project was attempted with the Mann Army Reserve Center in Hillyard for Spokane Public Schools, but a monthlong crime spree, stripping the building of its copper wiring, damaged it to the point it would cost the district $3.7 million to repair.

For East Valley’s new building, realty specialist Darlene James with the Army Corps of Engineers said they’re transferring the property’s deed much sooner and providing better access to the property so the district can keep an eye on it and make its presence known to potential criminals.