Plans to transform New Kent County’s historic 1930s school building into a new community center and library have stalled out over potential cost overruns. The New Kent Board of Supervisors is rethinking the renovation approach as it wrestles with the county’s tight budget situation.
The project to overhaul the former New Kent School at 11825 New Kent Highway was expected to begin construction this spring, according to county documents. However, County Administrator Rodney Hathaway revealed to the board that architect proposals for the community center came in “way over budget.”
“There was some discussion of instead of doing a community center, the real need is office space, so should we go down that path?” Hathaway stated at a March 19 meeting. “I have stopped that project while we determine what the focus of that building should be.”
The current community center design carried an estimated $13 million price tag – far exceeding the $7 million the county has already borrowed for the school’s renovation. With New Kent looking to rein in a proposed real estate tax increase, repurposing the historic school to help meet government office needs is emerging as a more cost-effective option.
“Space is an issue and that will be the quickest thing instead of a new $20-30 million administration building,” said Board Chair Thomas Evelyn, suggesting the old school’s gym could still serve community purposes.
According to the Daily Press, the vision was for the revamped school to host community classrooms, a public library branch, and performing arts spaces while telling the story of the historic structure’s ties to the desegregation case Green v. County School Board.
But as the fastest-growing county in Virginia tightens its belt, those lofty community plans are on the back burner for now.
