Dayton Daily News education reporter Scott Elliott writes about schools, kids, teaching and learning.
Home > Blogs > Get on the Bus > Archives > 2006 > May > 12 > Entry
Surprise ending — wrecking ball for Roosevelt
After a few twists and turns yesterday, we learned finally that the Dayton Board of Education will pass on a developer’s proposal to rehabilitate historic Roosevelt High School for community use. Instead, the board will tear down the school and partner with the city to build a new building on the West Third Street site.
The new building apparently will resemble Roosevelt and it will contain a school, along with a recreation center and space for community programs. Details are due to be released Monday and officially nobody is talking so specifics are sketchy at this point.
This brings tan end to more than two years of discussions and agonizing about what to do with Roosevelt. The massive building was in serious disrepair and costly to maintain even empty. The board has been seeking to get rid of it, either by finding a developer to rehabilitate it or by tearing it down.
A developer, Mark Parks, came with a plan and some financing, but it seems the board felt a new structure was a better option. I think it’s fair to say this is a surprise ending to the drama. Most figured either it was going to be rehabilitated or torn down. The idea of returning a school to the site, for instance, has not been seriously discussed publicly in months.
What do you think of this turn of events?
Permalink | Comments (8) | Categories: Dayton Public Schools
Comments
By Joe Lacey
May 14, 2006 11:00 AM | Link to this
Oldprof’s accounting that it would take 25 million to make Roosevelt usable for anything does not reconcile to the fact that just three years ago Roosevelt was functional office space for the board. Has the board neglected Roosevelt so badly in the past three years that it would take 25 million to make it usable again for anything? I don’t think so, especially in light of administration statements that they have been putting $15,000 a month into it. I also feel that that $15,000 per month figure deserves a little more scrutiny. I’d like to see how it compares to the maintenance of other vacant school buildings, some of which were successfully renovated after being empty many years.By Elmer Miller
May 13, 2006 11:21 PM | Link to this
Probably not, as to the yes or no question, since I didn’t go to Roosevelt but, was lucky enough to have spent some sweet time with Jean Lyday, class of ‘42. Other than that, I can only reference to the old school from the many times I have driven past on W 3rd and sports accounts of the teams (football/basketball) many victories over all the Dayton area High Schools except; Wilbur Wright, my Alma Mater, another soon- to- be victim of ‘wrecking ball progress’as I understand the defination. I really can’t complain about either since the DBOE was kind enough to award me my missed diploma from Belmont last Oct. Sorry , my RHS connection couldn’t have been stronger but, I’ll never forget Jean of N. Western Ave. who from there always walked the few blocks to her only high School, almost as regularily as the sun comes up on the east end of West 3rd Street. Wonder what she is thinking right now??By Joe Lacey
May 13, 2006 7:46 PM | Link to this
The Superintendent proposed tearing down Roosevelt to me and I told him that I opposed the idea in no uncertain terms. No decision has been made by the Board that I am aware of nor has the question been put on a meeting agenda. Only two other board members have discussed the subject with me and I’ve read of Ms. Isaacs thoughts in the Dayton Daily News. Whatever is to be announced on Monday has not faced the scrutiny of board meeting.By Oldprof
May 13, 2006 4:12 PM | Link to this
Karen, like any other really old building that hasn’t been maintained (and thank the leaders of the ’70s and ’80s for THAT neglect!), Roosevelt will cost more to fix up than to replace. It would cost an estimated 25 million to make it usable as a school again, and probably more to re-fit it as a homeless shelter (I would hope it’s too big for that need!) or school offices or anything else. Now, the demolition hasn’t started yet—if you have several million to dedicate to the building, call the Board, they can still re-consider. Note that some very bright people have tried for two years to put together a plan to save the building, and they couldn’t get it done in that much time—at some point, the losses need to get cut.By Karen Maleske
May 13, 2006 1:29 PM | Link to this
I graduated from Roosevelt in 1961—last name was Bainter. It is ludicrous to tear it down. It has 2 swimming pools 4 gyms etc. Why not make it a homeless shelter?By Oldprof
May 13, 2006 9:52 AM | Link to this
OK, this sums it up then. “Littlejohn and her handmaidens (what has Clayton Luckie to say to that? Joe Lacey?) donated two years and 1/3 million to give the redevelopers a chance to plan and raise the cash. Dan Kennedy, rather than going out and raising money, decides to post a sound-bite here. Dave, on the other hand, evidently thinks that, at that cost, the building should have been knocked down two years ago. Did it ever occur to you two critics that the Board of Ed. has worked hard to try to find the compromise between your positions? Aw, shucks—don’t bother giving them any credit for even trying to work hard to accomodate the various contituencies that pull them in opposite directions at times.By dan kennedy
May 12, 2006 1:39 PM | Link to this
Littlejohn and her handmaidens were never serious about redevelopment.By Dave
May 12, 2006 12:29 PM | Link to this
So if I read the numbers correctly, they wasted roughly 24 months, while paying $15,000/month of taxpayer money on utilities, etc? Well, I guess that is better than squandering the money on teacher pay or something silly like that!