Conway considers path to save historic Black school once destined for demolition
Conway city officials shifted their stance on the potential demolition of a historic elementary school building which served Black students during segregation, creating an option for preservation of the building.
Conway council directed city officials to draft a request for proposal for the Whittemore Elementary School building, meaning outside entities, including developers and the historical society pushing to save the building, will be able to submit bids describing how they would approach the project. It’s an about-face from a community meeting months ago when city administrator Adam Emrick said demolition was “the only path forward” due to the $14-20 million cost estimate for preservation.
The fight to save the Whittemore Elementary School
The Whittemore Elementary School was built in 1954 and served Black students during segregation. Former students and teachers remember the school as a beacon of the community that should remain standing, despite being dilapidated by years of disuse and hurricane damage.
The Whittemore Racepath Historical Society, headed by former Whittemore student Rev. Cheryl Moore Adamson, has worked with architects, professors and cultural and historical experts to present an alternative to demolition. Michael Allen, CEO of MOA Architecture based out of Greenville, presented his own cost estimate of around $11 million to preserve the building. He also discussed case studies of other historic schools in the state and across the country that had been preserved with similar price tags.
“I’ve seen projects where there were rebuilds, but the restorative piece was out,” Mayor Barbara Blain-Bellamy said after the meeting. “I am very pleased that we are not here inventing the wheel, that this has been done before, that there are resources, that we’re only going to be stifled by our desire to know more and get information from the experts that are there.”
The discussion took place at a workshop of city council Monday, so no official votes were taken. There are still many questions that remain, but options for the school’s future are beginning to take shape.
It’s probable the city and the historical society will create a team to approach the project, with the end goal to create a community center to provide after-school programs, job resources and mental health advocacy.
Different options for preservation of Black history
It’s unclear if the entire building will be preserved in its original form, or if it will be partially preserved and renovated. The building is eligible for the National Register of Historic Places because of its status as an “equalization school,” which was meant to provide a “separate but equal” education during segregation. But the building can only be listed on the register if it’s not altered significantly, so partial preservation would likely take it out of the running for being on the register, Emrick said.
The price tag is still daunting. In Allen’s presentation, alternative forms of funding like grants from Lowe’s home improvement store and other companies helped support the preservation of other historic school buildings. The building needs to be brought up to current code, the foundation needs work and it’s riddled with mold and asbestos, all factors that drive up the cost of renovation.
But even with an intimidating dollar amount, advocates maintain there’s more to the school than the money required to save it.
“The recognition, social and economic gains associated with preserving Whittemore Elementary School far, far outweigh any devastating costs,” Adamson said while addressing city council.
Once the request for proposal is drafted, entities will be able to submit their bids for council to review. Upcoming council meetings will likely have discussion about the future of the school building and any possible bids for the project.
