Ideas dwindle on use for vacant school In Elizabeth City

ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. 

It was January 2007 when students and faculty moved from Elizabeth City Middle School on Road Street to the new facility on Northside Road.

This month, Pasquotank County commissioners gained ownership of the vacant building from Elizabeth City-Pasquotank Public Schools, but suggestions on how to use it are not as readily available as they were last year.

"There have been a lot of rumblings but no set course," said Commissioner Bill Trueblood.

Commissioner Lloyd Griffin said he hopes discussions for its future will rekindle this summer now that the school has been turned over to the county.

Soon after the old middle school was closed, the commissioners began getting suggestions and requests for the downtown building.

One proposal from eight groups, including the Albemarle Hospital Foundation, would have transformed the school into a community resource center for low-income, uninsured residents.

But the hospital foundation, which led the effort, had a deadline to use some of its funding and abandoned the proposal because the commissioners couldn't make any decisions until the property was in the county's possession.

A committee of three commissioners was later appointed to put together a preliminary draft outlining the potential future for the old middle school that sits on about 8 acres.

Though problems have plagued the school, including flooding during heavy rains, peeling paint and stained ceiling tiles, there are many who say there's hope for the building. After Hurricane Isabel, the school was outfitted with a new roof. It has an up-to-date HVAC system and new windows. County Manager Randy Keaton has said the building is structurally sound and there's a lot to work with.

Built in the 1920s as a high school, it was expanded in the 1950s. Keaton has said the annex building is the only part of the facility that might need to be torn down.

Now, the county also has to deal with broken windows, damaged doors and graffiti.

The committee, Trueblood, Griffin and Jeff Dixon, said the old school could become many things, but ideally a community resource center, park and special event location for things such as boat shows or sports tournaments.

The idea, they said, was to have the old school teeming with activity.

In November, the Elizabeth City State University Foundation contacted the county about its interest.

Ken Henshaw, foundation chairman, said he hoped the county would consider donating the building.

He said the building could help the university establish a downtown presence and be used for educational, economic development and entrepreneurship purposes.

His suggestions included building on existing education offerings at the university and College of The Albemarle, such as pharmacy and nursing.

Henshaw also told commissioners that the foundation would be open to collaborating with other agencies, such as the Boys & Girls Club or the city or county parks and recreation departments.

The commissioners requested that the foundation submit a formal proposal.

Griffin said he continued to work with the ECSU Foundation for another two to three months, but those discussions have tapered off.

So far, the only approved use for part of the building this year is for a haunted house. The Fraternal Order of Police fundraiser was a big success last year, and organizers want to use the school this year.

Trueblood said he hoped the ECSU Foundation will complete a feasibility study and return to the commissioners if it would meet their needs.

For now, he said, there is no clear future for the building except its eventual repair.

"It's going to require quite a bit of renovation to suit anybody," Trueblood said.

 Lauren King, (252) 338-2413, lauren.king@pilotonline.com