Future redevelopment plans for the former Harrow High School property will be unveiled Thursday.
The school was purchased by the town after it closed in 2016, but the property at 45 Wellington Street has sat vacant since.
The Town of Essex said it would cost $10-million to refurbish the building to meet municipal needs.
In February 2024, council voted in favour of exploring the possibility of converting the school into new high-density housing. A stipulation was also approved that within the request for proposals (RFP) that 20 per cent of the units would be considered affordable housing.
The municipality recieved zero bids and reissued an RFP back in May.
Now Mayor Sherry Bondy says the property has been sold.
"We're anxious and excited to move forward on this. This is a big project outstanding in our community, so we're glad to start moving forward on this," Bondy said.
Bondy said only the school building is being sold.
"It's kind of the best of both worlds, because we'll get a new project, or a few projects, where the current building is, and then we have the green space that was previously the school board's, so it was really a smart move and the right direction to have our cake and eating it too," she said.
She added that the upcoming development, which will be subject to full public consultations, is a change in the right direction for Harrow.
"We need to offer not just single family homes but more type of row-homes, apartment homes, duplexes, so I'm hoping that the Harrow community embraces this new direction," said Bondy.
The announcement is scheduled for 10 a.m. Thursday.