Historic school renovation project in New Kent on hold – Daily Press

NEW KENT — Proposals to remodel New Kent’s Thirties Historic Faculty right into a group middle and library have been positioned on maintain amid issues over the mission’s value.

The renovation of the college at 11825 New Kent Freeway was anticipated to start this spring, in accordance with New Kent County’s web site.

Nonetheless, the group middle idea is on the again burner and the Board of Supervisors is contemplating utilizing the area as an alternative to fulfill the growth wants of county authorities in Virginia’s fastest-growing county.

A separate proposal to construct a group middle at Wahrani within the japanese finish of the county can also be coming underneath scrutiny because the board seeks to scale back a proposed actual property tax hike within the funds for fiscal yr 2025.

In September, Andrew Smolak of Moseley Architects introduced plans for the historic college together with group lecture rooms, a group library and a performing arts part.

County Administrator Rodney Hathaway instructed the board on March 19 that the proposal got here in “manner over funds.”

“There was some dialogue of as an alternative of doing a group middle, the true want is workplace area, so ought to we go down that path?” he mentioned. “I’ve stopped that mission whereas we decide what the main focus of that constructing must be.”

He mentioned the county has already borrowed $7 million for the renovation. The group middle design is priced at $13 million.

“Area is a matter and that would be the quickest factor as an alternative of a brand new $20-$30 million administration constructing,” board chair Thomas Evelyn mentioned. He steered the college’s gymnasium may serve a group use.

The group middle blueprint meant to inform the story of the Historic Faculty, the previous New Kent Faculty.

New Kent Faculty and close by George W. Watkins Faculty are related to the case of Inexperienced v. County Faculty Board of New Kent in 1968, which is seen as essentially the most vital desegregation case the U.S. Supreme Court docket determined after Brown v. Board of Training.

Hathaway defended the Wahrani group middle proposal on the March 19 assembly.

“Sure, We want a group middle within the japanese finish however … we want a voting precinct within the japanese space. We don’t have one. We’re utilizing an area that’s in the marketplace for lease proper now. When that’s leased up we received’t have an area … I’ve been unable to discover a appropriate different location in that precinct proper now,” he mentioned.

David Macaulay, [email protected]