Jackson County Schools will partner with UCDD to evaluate the Old Fox Elementary building for potential redevelopment into a community center or public facility.
Director of Schools Jason Hardy said the school system currently uses the 1930s-era building for storage but is cooperating with community members who want to restore the site. Hardy said the evaluation is funded through a Brownfield Redevelopment Area Grant to determine if the structure can be safely repurposed for public use.
“Really the first step of seeing if we can use this building in the future,” Hardy said, “And if so what we need to do to make it ready for community members or whatever route we may take down the road to be able to utilize that and use it for community access.”
Hardy said the environmental study will determine if the building and surrounding area are safe or require remediation to meet modern standards. Hardy said a committee led by local business owner John Deane is spearheading the effort to explore future uses such as a library, community center or YMCA.
“So once that study’s out there, then the next move would be for the community, the group that’s kind of come together to put this together, to see if it’s feasible and see if they’ve got the money raised to either lease it from the school system so they can start the process or they may see the study and it may not, you know, it may not be feasible to do it,” Hardy said. “So really this study is kind of the make or break point to see what we’re going to need to move forward.”
Hardy said the evaluation process is expected to take approximately two months to complete. Hardy said the project was supported by roughly $70,000 in funding.
“But then also eventually I’m sure there’ll have to be some type of campaigning to raise the type of money that it would take to turn this into a fully functioning community center,” Hardy said. “But right now still kind of in the early processes and when this study is over I think that committee’ll know more.”
