Leman Academy of Excellence, Inc. (Dr. Kevin Leman, Dennis O’Reilly, Lynne Houlton and Joe Higgins, directors) purchased 4.49 acres of vacant land southeast of Silverbell and Cortaro Roads in Marana for $1.275 million ($6.52 PSF). The property was purchased for construction of a new public charter school and is located adjacent to Pima County’s Wheeler Taft Abbett Library in Marana at 7800 N Schisler Drive, Marana and will hold official groundbreaking one week after closing.
The buyer liked the site not only because of its proximity to the library but also because Marana is expected to explode in housing growth over the next few years, and new families will be moving into the area. The school will be built in Continental Ranch master-planned community, already with plenty of young families living there, while the Town of Marana grew by 223.54% since 2000.
Dr. Leman, a renowned psychologist and dynamo radio / TV personality, educator, speaker, and author of over 45 books on parenting, marriage, and family living, is founder and namesake of the new school. The Leman Academy of Excellence will be for K-6 grades and be based on a classical education where all disciplines are treated as interrelated, allowing students the ability to think independently and critically.
Dennis O’Reilly, Head of Leman Academy of Excellence says, “There’s not another tuition free classical charter school in Southern Arizona.” Classical Education is based on the three stages of learning: grammar, logic and rhetoric. The idea is to make it fun and keep the students engaged through their own natural curiosity.
The concept must be hitting a chord with parents, as we were told there are almost 500 students pre-enrolled, prior to groundbreaking, for the 600-student seats available.
Carhuff + Cueva architects and Canyon Building & Design general contractor, both Tucson firms, are working to have the 48,300-square-feet, Phase I buildings, ready for the 2015-2016 school year. The school also has future expansion plans for the 4.49 acres as well as an interest in taking the concept nationally.
Almost a year in planning at this site, the Leman Academy of Excellence will have its groundbreaking on Saturday March 21 at 9:30 a.m. followed by ‘a bring your own picnic lunch and stay to play’ in the park event. Click here for map Silverbell-Cortaro District Park playground.
Patrick Welchert, SIOR, Industrial Specialist with Cushman & Wakefield | PICOR, represented Leman Academy of Excellence and David Montijo, First Vice President with CBRE, represented the seller, Silverbell Cortaro LLC, an affiliate of Diamond Venture of Tucson (Don Diamond, chairman) in the transaction.
To learn more, Welchert can be reached at 520.546.2748 and Montijo should be contacted at 520.323.5136. The Leman Academy of Excellence website is https://lemanacademy.com/
For additional information on this transaction see RED Comp #2729.