Dayton Daily News education reporter Scott Elliott writes about schools, kids, teaching and learning.
Home > Blogs > Get on the Bus > Archives > 2006 > May > 11 > Entry
Roosevelt will be a school again
Update: This story changed dramatically as new information came in. I’ve updated this post to reflect that. Follow the link for the latest.
Historic Roosevelt High School, which has not been used as a school since 1975, will have a school at its West Third Street site as part of a joint redevelopment plan with the city and school board as partners. The site also will house a recreation center.
The school board postponed until Monday an announcement of the deal that was to be held this morning (5/11/06). But Annie Bonaparte of the UJIMA Neighborhood Network said she has been briefed on some aspects of the plan.
UJIMA was one of two groups that proposed their own redevelopment plans. Earlier this year, UJIMA joined with the competing group, led by developer Mark Parks, to offer a joint redevelopment plan. The school board had said it would tear down the school, which opened in 1927, unless a viable plan to re-use for it was proposed.
But while the board was considering the joint plan, it found another option — a partnership with the city. Bonaparte said she strongly backs the new approach, which will incorporate some of what OJIMA pushed for at the site.
“It’s going to be good,” she said. “It’s good there’s going to be a school there. The whole fight was to do something there that would serve this community.”
Details of the financing and schedule are expected Monday.
Permalink | Comments (3) | Categories: Dayton Public Schools
Comments
By Oldprof
May 11, 2006 11:01 PM | Link to this
I guess it’s time to stop and consider: if a large, expensive building is falling down, where do we get the money to fix it? Taxpayers object to increases in capital budgets, but preservationists scream that every ramshackle hut is historic. In my view, a community needs to preserve a building before the cost of renovation exceeds the average annual salary of 1000 citizens. I don’t recall busloads of people coming in from Kansas to see our “historic” building. At some point, it’s time to let the bricks and mortar go and move on to the future.By Molly Baker
May 11, 2006 1:08 PM | Link to this
How about using the facilities there to teach courses that don’t require 4 yr degree expenditures to get a specific skill? Denver, CO, has a great “Opportunity School” that issues certificates of demonstrated skills in restaurant mgmt, cosmetology, small engine repair, accounting, etc. It’s instructors almost rent the rooms to teach specific language-arts, musical instrument, arts and crafts, dancing, and rescue/emergency service classes. Besides its auditorium/theater, Roosevelt already has athletic (incl swimming and gymnastics), choral and band practice areas. It could also serve regional colleges and tech schools as an extension location and site for athletic prep camps. Is handy to city buses, but could use more parking space on its north side …(along with some coummunity/education leaders with imagination and gumption!!!) It would be a terrible waste to let such an investment “go to pot” for lack of initiative. Schools in England and Europe aren’t even “broken in” ‘til they’re 100 years old! Age of a school building has little to do with the value of what is taught inside…actually….By MS JACKSON
May 11, 2006 12:50 PM | Link to this
I just wnat to say it is great that they are keeping something on the west side of honor. The Westside of Dayton is almost a ghost town. Roosevelt is truely a monument that needs to stay right where it is at. I remember when I was younger I wanted to go and grad from Roosevelt just like my mom and dad did. I am so happy