Earthwork began Thursday morning at the corner of 12th Street and Otley Avenue as the Perry High School building trades program started construction of its third spec house at the site of the former Perry High School.
At its July 19 meeting, the Perry City Council approved giving the lot at 2124 Otley Ave. as a gift to the Perry Community School District for its third single-family house. The city still owns the four westernmost lots in the Bluejay Addition, which forms “part of Block Eight (8) in the Foster and Heaton Addition to the Original Town, now City of Perry Iowa,” according to the property’s legal description.
Perry Mayor John Andorf told the council “that the houses “sold well” and made for “a good partnership with the school.” The council was were similarly enthusiastic.
The Perry Water Works Trustees voted unanimously Thursday to waive the water service line tapping fee for the third house and to let the school purchase the parts and materials from the Perry Water Works at cost.
PHS Industrial Technology Instructor Chad Morman teaches PHS juniors and seniors the methods of modern construction in the building trades program. The DMACC Perry VanKirk Career Academy is offering college credit for the classes and providing the construction tools for the program.
The COVID-19 global pandemic disrupted construction of the program’s first house in fall 2019. The second house was built in 2020. Both units have sold and are now occupied.
