The Bellevue School Board voted Sept. 20 to purchase an 8-acre plot of land in the Spring District neighborhood for a new elementary school.

The district will buy the property at 2100 120th Ave. NE from Safeway, Inc. for $26.5 million. It will be used for a Elementary 19, which the district has been expected to being planning for this year.

The Bellevue School District has been growing by between 500 and 600 students annually — a growth rate that is expected to continue through 2025.

“In particular, the growth is expected to be focused in the downtown core, the Bel-Red district, Auto Row and Overlake Village. To support this growth, the district has been looking for property to purchase as a site for a future elementary school location,” the contract approval memo read.

That area’s growth will likely be compounded by the forthcoming Spring District neighborhood. The 8.14-acre site the Bellevue School District is purchasing is in the midst of the multi-use development.

The sales agreement includes a 45-day due diligence period during which inspections and testing will be conducted. The school board will be asked to finalize the purchase after that time period.