CEDAR LAKE | The Hanover Community School Corp. and Todd Olthof, of Olthof Homes, received the town's blessing to swap properties Tuesday, ushering in a new site for a proposed Hanover middle school.

That's good news to those who had opposed Hanover's proposed middle school on the west side of U.S. 41 at West 125th Avenue. They cited safety concerns related to entering and departing the property because of a limited site line for drivers.

Hanover Superintendent Michael Livovich said the "many objections" spurred the school board to begin looking at other options, including talks with Olthof for more favorable property on the east side of U.S. 41 at 141st Avenue.

Livovich said that the state permits "swaps" in such matters.

Livovich noted demographic studies had predicted 1,832 Hanover students for this school year and that there already are 1,928 students.

"Time is of the essence. ...We're on a fast track to build a new middle school," Livovich said,

He said the closing on the property swap must happen in early November for the school corporation to go before the state tax board Dec. 6.

That's why Olthof asked for and received agreement from the Cedar Lake Town Council Tuesday to expedite the process for annexing the Hanover-owned acreage, zoning and conceptual approval for the development to go there.