City of Lawrenceville takes possession of old school building

Thursday, April 30, 2026 at 2:10 PM

By Steve Anderson

The abandoned former Lawrenceville High School property is now owned by the city of Lawrenceville.

Mayor David Courtney told GIANT-FM WAKO this week that after a lengthy legal dispute, they have finally taken possession of the land where the school stood from the former owners. The legal agreement from the courts approved earlier in April calls for the city to pay $50,000 for the purchase to the former owners. They also take on responsibility for maintenance of the grounds, the deteriorating building, and the parking lots.

Courtney added that they are working now to secure the property to prevent trespassing and have begun cleanup of trees, weeds and other debris. As the cleanup process continues, the city will soon contract with an engineering firm to design a new wastewater treatment plant on the site to help the city move forward into compliance with Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) standards. No firm timetable has been set for when that will occur.