The old Boynton High School has been at the center of political debates through the years.

It has been on the verge of being demolished several times in the past decade, and it also has been the subject of 12 studies since 1993, costing the city nearly $300,000 .

Despite all of the reports, discussions and spending, the old high school remains standing, empty, just as it has been since the day its doors closed in 1949.

Now the city has put out a request for another study regarding possible plans and financing sources for the old high school, and the Boynton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency has set aside $52,000 for this purpose.

But things will be different this time around, according to the city commissioners. For the first time in recent years, the entire commission supports saving the old high school.

At a team-building retreat in May, the commissioners agreed to make preserving the old high school a priority, and set a target date of Dec. 10 for putting together a design/construction schedule and budget.

When the idea of putting out a request for another study first came up at the Aug. 3 commission meeting, Commissioner Bill Orlove questioned whether that would be a smart move.

“We’re going through budget hearings, and we talk about how we’re trying to cut and save and scrimp,” he said. “We’ve studied this over and over again, and I just think it’s ridiculous to spend $52,000 on another study.”

Mayor José Rodriguez was quick to defend the study, saying it would be the first one to look at possible money sources, such as historic preservation and new market tax credits, grants and bonds.

“I’m not one of those mayors that’s going to do a study and have it sit on the shelf,” he said.

He also said it’s possible that the money spent on the study would be reimbursable through some of these programs.

Vice Mayor Marlene Ross said she’s wary of another study.

“No more studies,” she said. “It’s time to move forward and do something.”

She said that time is running out for the 83-year-old building.

“It’s in terrible condition,” she said.

Commissioner Woodrow Hay said he’s glad to see this next study moving forward.

“It’s about time,” he said. “I’m really hopeful that we’ll the get funding sources to move ahead with it. That’s going to be the difficult part. If we get that piece of the puzzle, the other pieces should fall into place.”

Although the commissioners all agree that the old high school should be preserved, they haven’t come to an agreement on a particular use. But that’s part of the reason why the newest study is being done, according to Commissioner Steven Holzman.

He said that past studies identified particular uses without first taking into account what’s financially feasible.

“Instead of putting the cart before the horse, let’s just see what the horse is,” he said.

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