NEW KENT – Proposals to turn New Kent’s historic 1930s school into a community center and library have been put on hold amid concerns over the cost of the project.
According to the New Kent County website, renovations to the school at 11825 New Kent Highway were expected to begin this spring.
However, the community center concept is on the back burner and the Board of Supervisors is considering using the space to meet the expansion needs of the county government in Virginia’s fastest growing county.
A separate proposal to build a community center in Wahrani on the eastern edge of the county is also coming under scrutiny as the board seeks to mitigate a proposed real estate tax increase in the fiscal year 2025 budget.
In September, Andrew Smolak of Moseley Architects presented plans for the historic school, including community classrooms, a community library, and a performing arts component.
County Administrator Rodney Hathaway told the board on March 19 that the proposal came “far over budget.”
“There was some discussion that rather than a community center, the real need is for office space, so should we go that route?” He said. “I have put that project on hold while we determine what the focus of that building should be.”
He said the county has already borrowed $7 million for renovations. The design of the community center cost $13 million.
Board Chairman Thomas Evelyn said, “Space is an issue and this would be the quickest thing to do instead of a $20-30 million new administration building.” He suggested that the school gym could be useful for community use.
The blueprint for the community center was intended to tell the story of the historic school, the former New Kent School.
New Kent School and the nearby George W. Watkins schools are linked to the 1968 case Green v. County School Board of New Kent, which is seen as the most significant desegregation case decided by the U.S. Supreme Court since Brown v. Board of Education.
Hathaway defended the Wahrani Community Center proposal at the March 19 meeting.
“Yes, we need a community center on the east end but… we need a voting precinct on the east end. we do not have any. We are using a space that is currently on the market for lease. We will not have the space when it is leased out… I am unable to find any suitable alternative space in that premises right now,” he said.
David Macaulay, [email protected]
