City mindful of preserving Jefferson School legacy

Seth Rosen / Charlottesville Daily Progress
Published: July 5, 2007

Walking around the abandoned auditorium of the Jefferson School, Lelia Brown was awash in a torrent of memories.

It was in this expansive room in the spring of 1951 that Brown, a member of the last graduating class of the all-black high school in downtown Charlottesville, attended her prom. On the auditorium's stage, now coated with a thin layer of dust, she played clarinet in the symphony band.

"I can remember sitting right here," the 71-year-old said, pointing to an aging wooden chair.

The mere mention of Jefferson School evokes strong emotions for many in Charlottesville's black community, but few residents have as close a connection as Brown. Besides graduating from the school at the age of 16, she taught third and seventh grades in the building when it was an elementary school in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

At the time, the facility was the epicenter of a thriving black cultural and business hub on Vinegar Hill. Jefferson was more than a school; it was a social outlet and gathering place for those denied use of many of Charlottesville's larger venues.

It is that legacy that Brown and other members of the Jefferson Alumni Association want to preserve as the city begins what will be a costly, and possibly lengthy, rehabilitation of the historic building.

"I want to make sure my great-granddaughter knows the history because I'm not going to be here forever," Brown said. "We want the story to go on."

The proposed restoration of the Jefferson School has been in the works for more than five years. Now, though, the planning and design process is finally poised to begin. At the next City Council meeting, ownership of the property is set to be transferred from Charlottesville to a private, nonprofit partnership.

"Once the property changes hands, we will be hitting the ground running," said Councilor Kendra Hamilton, who is also one of the 12 members of the Jefferson School General Partnership.

Extensive campaign

The group, composed of Charlottesville residents, will guide the renovation of the 76,000-square-foot, two-story building; pick which organizations will relocate to the school; and spearhead an extensive fundraising campaign.

In order to get up to $8 million in federal and state tax credits, the city was required to give the property to a nonprofit. The partnership will sell the tax credits and use the proceeds for the school's restoration.

The partnership's first task will be choosing an architectural firm. Because of the historic nature of the school, the exterior of the building will remain intact while the inside will be completely overhauled.

"The construction has to be consistent and complementary to the existing building," said Rochelle Small-Toney, the former assistant city manager and point person for the Jefferson project who left Charlottesville last week to take a job in Savannah, Ga. "The community doesn't want to drive by the school and not be able to recognize it."

The Jefferson School was built in 1926, adjacent to the old Jefferson Graded Elementary School, constructed in 1894. The newer building functioned as an all-black high school until 1951, when it was converted into an elementary.

Thirteen years later it was closed, and then was primarily used as classroom and office space, as well as housing preschool and Piedmont Virginia Community College programs. The building was shuttered for good in 2002.

The greatest challenge for the partnership is securing the right mix of tenants. Several years ago, a task force suggested that the renovated site include condos and affordable apartments - a proposal decried by the community and eventually abandoned. Many residents say that occupants who respect and amplify the historical value of Jefferson School is what the building needs.

"We need it to tell the African-American story in Charlottesville," Small-Toney said. "You can't find another building in the community, other than the churches, that tells that story."

The partnership would like to see a black heritage and cultural center put in the school, replete with exhibits celebrating the contribution of black residents both to the development of Charlottesville and the nation.

A separate advisory board is being formed to finalize the parameters of the center. One question that remains is whether the center should have its own collections of artifacts and artwork, which would be expensive, or house outside exhibitions.

A museum recognizing the legacy of the black community is sorely needed, many residents say, and it is appropriate that such a venue be located in Vinegar Hill. Most of the neighborhood was razed in the 1960s under the dictum of "urban renewal."

"This is going to be very important not just for the African-American community, but for all of Charlottesville," Hamilton said. "It will restore a balance that was destroyed during urban renewal, which was an eraser of history and landmarks."

The partners also want to bring in a diverse group of tenants that will provide a blend of social, educational and recreational programming.

Library considered move

The Jefferson-Madison Regional Library considered relocating its central branch from Market Street to the Jefferson School, but those plans have been shelved. There was not enough room in the building to house the library's collection, and the historical nature of the building prohibits the partnership from adding a new wing, said John Halliday, the library's director.

PVCC has had some discussions with the partnership about using approximately 17,000 square feet to house a computer lab and classrooms. It is also interested in starting a culinary arts program, with a teaching kitchen and dining room, said PVCC President Frank Friedman.

The plans for Jefferson include renovating Carver Recreation Center, which is the only city-owned facility with a full-size basketball court. The new facility will likely have an upgraded gym, a new playroom and multi-purpose centers.

The restoration of the Jefferson School is expected to cost approximately $30 million.

The city has already set aside $5 million and is unlikely to contribute any in the future, Small-Toney said. Instead, private donations, the selling of the tax credits and rent will pay for the remaining costs.

Small-Toney is optimistic that the plans will be finalized by the end of the year, with construction beginning in summer 2009.