The Roman Catholic Diocese of Allentown has offered to buy the former Rush Elementary school building from Tamaqua Area School District at a cost of $1.2 million.

Board solicitor Jeffrey P. Bowe announced at Tuesday’s school board committee meeting that the diocese has offered to enter into an agreement for the purchase of the former Rush Elementary School at 50 Meadow Ave. in Tamaqua.

“They’ve given us a substantial offer,” Bowe said.

Currently a K-12 setting, the Rush building offers alternative education, regular education, special education and school-to-work programs.

The district entered into an agreement with Behavioral Health Associates of Lehighton in August 2015 to provide services for the students.

Superintendent Ray Kinder noted that the BHA lease expires June 30.

Kinder said the money from the sale would go into the district’s capital projects fund to help pay for large-ticket items in the district such as heating/cooling systems, roadwork, communication systems and roofs.

“We feel as though we would be able to lose the building, and if it can give us something positive, it’s a great benefit to do so,” Kinder said.

Board President Larry Wittig said he believes it’s a positive for the community overall that the diocese would get the property, which would continue as a school.

“I think it’s a very positive thing for the community at large,” Wittig said.

The board’s finance committee then gave its consent to list the sale of the property on the board’s March 20 meeting agenda.

Bowe said the matter will be voted on by attending board members and a two-thirds vote of the entire board is necessary for the motion to pass.

Reached this morning, Matt Kerr, director of communications for the Diocese of Allentown, confirmed that the offer has been made.

“Upon learning the building and surrounding land was available, the diocese expressed interest in it,” Kerr said. “There is an agreement of sale.”

Kerr added, “The diocese would naturally have an interest in property that would enhance its pastoral planning strategies.”

In January, The Roman Catholic Diocese of Allentown paid $101,000 for a property at 225 Pine St. to create a new parking lot for those who attend Masses and other functions at SS. Peter and Paul in Tamaqua, which is less than a block away at 307 Pine St.

St. John XXIII Church is part of the parish at 260 W. Broad St.

The Rush building has been a source of controversy for the district in recent years.

In January 2016, the board agreed to challenge a decision on the Rush building and directed its solicitor to file an appeal to the decision of the Rush Township Zoning Hearing Board earlier that month.

At that zoning meeting, the zoning hearing board sustained the notice of violation entered by township zoning officer Bill McMullen regarding the Rush building, which meant the district’s appeal was denied.

McMullen said the proposed use of the school’s property didn’t comply with several sections of the township’s zoning ordinance. The school district was directed to file a special exception for BHA to use the building.

The district had previously used the school to educate students in kindergarten and first grade. Before that, students in kindergarten through fifth grades attended, and before that, it was kindergarten through sixth.

The district has been affiliated with BHA for more than seven years.

A Schuylkill County judge rejected an injunction request filed by the township in September 2015 to prevent the district from changing the use of the former Rush Township Elementary School in Hometown to an academy.