Wheat Ridge approves Wilmore-Davis deal for park and Spectra school
The council approved buying the former school site, reserving about 2.5 acres for a future park and selling the building and about 4.5 acres to Spectra Centers, with closing targeted for early December.
Wheat Ridge City Council approved a plan Sept. 14 to acquire the roughly seven-acre former Wilmore-Davis Elementary School site, reserve about 2.5 acres for a future public park and sell the school building and approximately 4.5 acres to Spectra Centers for specialized educational services.
The council approved the sale to Spectra through Council Bill 17-2026 on an 8-0 vote. A companion motion authorizing Wheat Ridge’s purchase from Jefferson County Public Schools also passed unanimously.
The transactions are intended to occur back-to-back. City staff said the city is targeting an early-December closing, after which Spectra, a Colorado-based facility school, could begin using the existing building to serve public-school students from Jefferson County and nearby districts. Staff said the building could be occupied soon after closing, allowing students to potentially attend during the following semester.
The arrangement follows the city’s effort to find a reuse partner for the closed school. Project materials released Aug. 24 described the proposed division between a public park and specialized educational facility. The approved transactions remain subject to closing and related agreements.