Workers from JM Construction excavate the buried materials from the former STC Primary School in preparation for a new dollar store retail development. -- Photo by Darvin Graham

Although recent frigid temperatures have made any kind of outdoor work virtually unbearable lately, excavation work has got underway at the location of the former South Tama County Primary school.

South Tama Schools finalized a sale of the property in the second half of 2021 to One Site Development, LLC of Cedar Falls for a sum of $15,000. The property has laid bare since 2007 when the school district demolished and buried the former STC Primary school building.

Current work is being done to excavate the buried materials to make way for construction of a new Family Dollar variety store to be built later this year.

In November the City of Tama Planning and Zoning Board recommended a change of zoning for the property to allow for commercial development. The Tama City Council approved the zoning recommendation at their regular December council meeting clearing the way for work to begin on the project.

Developer Jeff Stickfort said the 10,500 square-foot building will bring a hybrid version of the Family Dollar and Dollar Tree retail brands that share corporate ownership.

The combination store concept is geared toward rural communities that otherwise would not see Dollar Tree stores opening up.

Entrances and exits to the store’s parking lot will come off 9th Street and 8th Street rather than go directly out into the four-lane Highway 63.

Stickfort said earlier this month the tentative plan was for construction to take about one year and for the store to open in early 2023.

A similar Family Dollar-Dollar Tree combo concept is also being constructed in Gladbrook along a similar timeline.