Brooklyn Park’s Excell Academy Happy with Expansion Plans
Earlier this month, Excell Academy for Higher Learning received approval from the City of Brooklyn Park to lease nearby Fair Oaks Park at a rate of $1 a year for the next 40 years.
The agreement allows Excell Academy to build more classrooms, expand its parking lot, and add playground equipment to the adjacent park.
The school initially wanted to purchase the land, but the plan didn’t have the full support of the council. School leaders are happy they were able to reach a compromise.
“A little disappointed at first, because of course you always want to own,” said Sabrina Williams, executive director of Excell Academy. “However, I think the compromise was really good. We get a lease for 40 years, and up to three, five-year extensions. So 55 years for a dollar a year, you can’t beat that.”
Excell Academy saved half a million dollars by leasing the land from the city of Brooklyn Park. The school plans to use the money to add lockers for middle school students.
