Luther College decides not to lease Anderson Prairie land to the Decorah School District for a new elementary school

It's official--a new Decorah elementary school will not be built on part of the Anderson Prairie owned by Luther College.

Luther College President Paula Carlson notified the Decorah School District Thursday of the decision, which was made by the Board of Regents, based on a recommendation by the college's Land Use Committee.

In a memo to Luther faculty, staff, and students, President Carlson stated:

"The decision follows a review of the proposal by the college's Land Use Committee, which gathered input from members of the Luther community and submitted a recommendation to me and the Board of Regents. Under the Land Stewardship Plan, the Land Use Committee is charged with reviewing proposals that impact the ecology of Luther's natural areas. The committee recommended against proceeding with the proposed project. The Board of Regents and I have accepted the committee's recommendation."

That decision by Luther appears to leave the downtown site at the corner of Heivly and Claiborne as the primary possibility for new elementary facilities. The Decorah School District and the City of Decorah have recently renewed discussions about that site.