Historic School no longer in play as third elementary

New Kent’s Historic School is no longer considered a viable option for a third elementary school.

After Marengo Management, the original contractor for the second phase of project, submitted a letter to withdraw on Apr. 28, New Kent supervisors were tasked to find an alternative for the building.

Supervisors emerged from their closed session on May 28 in casual discussions about what to do with the building.

“Now that the building isn’t going to be used for an elementary school, I believe it would be a great place to move the library into,” said District 4 representative Ron Stiers. “I believe it also gives us the chance to expand Bridging Communities [Career and Technical Center] and provide them more space to bring in new programs.”

Prior to discussions of transforming the Historic School into a third school, the building had the possibility of being the new home for the county’s school board. County administrator Rodney Hathaway said that possibility will probably not come to fruition.

For now, the Historic School sits vacant, with Marengo Management on task to complete the first phase of renovations in July. Until then, Stiers said serious consideration for the library’s move to a permanent home is warranted.

“We are paying about $46,000 a year in rent for them,” he commented. “It would be wonderful to see them in a place that is accessible and in the middle of the county.”