helpdream us save a jewel with in jasper countyus The Monticello School: Dreams Can Become Realities COMMUNITY DESIGN CHARRETTE REPORT | NOVEMBER 2005 1 Design Charrette Facilitated by: Pratt Cassity, Director of the Center for Community Design, Planning and Preservation at The University of Georgia November, 2005 2 The Monticello School: Dreams Can Become Realities Table of Contents: 04 The Problem 05 The Guiding Principles 06 The Options 08 The Weigh-in 09 The Add-ons 10 Successful Examples 12 The Funding 13 Recommendations 14 The Architecture 14 ADA 20 The Landscape: Assets & Issues 27 Credits 3 The Problem The buildings problems are complex, but fall simply into 4 broad categories: 1 Architectural 2 Site and Landscape 3 Future Use either you’ve got ‘em or you need to get ‘em 4 Management All of these relate specifically to FUNDS! 4 The Guiding Principles The charrette team went through several exercises that prioritized the needs of the building. Those things that apply to all treatments and uses for the Monticello School, and those things that must be done to ensure efficient movement to the next level of building use and reuse became our guiding principles and must become yours. 1. Address the roof leaks, rain water from the roof, and site drainage. 2. Retain paid staff to monitor, maintain, market and fund- raise for the building and its future use. 3. Retrofit or replace all mechanical systems in the build- ing. 4. Implement a phased rehabilitation plan that does not limit future uses of the building but enhances possibilities for creative reuse. 5. Seek endowments for the building to be used as a com- munity center. If that is not quickly feasible, then re- focus the plans to accommodate private sector income producing uses. 5 The Options After brainstorming sessions and review of the material previ- ously produced by Carter Watkins Architects and UGA/ De- partment of Labor’s proposal (Georgia Heritage/Georgia Jobs), the charrette team conceived a series of potential uses for the buildings; presented here in priority order based on our obser- vations. Some residents may be opposed to these ideas for numerous LOCAL reasons that go beyond the scope of the charrette. To us, the most logical purpose for a school building is in continuous education and public use. We found the idea of placing school board offices and community type uses of high- est significance. Only Monticello can claim right to a Trisha Yearwood Cultural Center, and that to us seemed a logical reinvestment in “roots” for the performer, especially in light of her most recent album “Jasper County.” All the other solutions are private in nature and should be con- sidered once the Historical Foundation Board has reached an agreement that this is the path (relinquishing much control of the building) that the building should take. 6 OPTIONS presented here in priority order based on our obser- 2 vations. Some residents Branded Cultural Center may be opposed to these ideas for numerous LOCAL Trisha Yearwood Only Monticello can claim right to a reasons that go beyond the Trisha Yearwood Cultural Center, and 3 scope of the charrette. that to us seemed a logical reinvest- ment in “roots” for the performer, Private Business especially in light of her most recent Offices To us, the most logical pur- 1 album “Jasper County.” pose for a school building Other Benefactor is in continuous education Public Administrative and public use. Therefore Offices we found the idea of plac- ing school board offices and County Board of Education community type uses of State offices decentralized highest significance. “out of” Atlanta All the other solutions are private Health Department in nature and should be considered 4 once the Historical Foundation Board has reached an agreement Residential that this is the path (relinquishing much control of the building) that Apartments – rental, 7 the building should take. elderly, workforce housing Multi-use building: A Combination of Options 5 Inn/Hotel 6 Traditional Crafts Training Center 7 The charrette team used a matrix to weigh the various concerns expressed to us and some treatment issues related to preservation The Weigh-in and access. Would Use Use Allows Level of Use Property perpetuate would is compatible bldg to be intervention fills a ownership educational generate self with used by larger needed to void issues use of the sustaining neighborhood community comply with for community related building income ADA to use 1 PublicAdministra- YES YES YES YES Potentially signifi- YES School Board tion Offices (i.e. cant (Health Dept.) School Board, already owns Health Dept,) parking area 2 YES YES YES YES LOW TO MODERATE YES Branded (Trisha Investment in Yearwood) fundraising, Cultural Center endowment building needed 3 Private business NO YES YES MAYBE LOW MAYBE offices 4 Potentially low if for Residential NO YES YES YES private use. High if YES federal or state funds are used. 5 HIGH Inn/Hotel NO YES YES NO NO Parking area could be rented/bought from school board Parking 6 YES YES YES YES HIGH NO School Board Traditional but dedicated already owns Crafts Training fundraising/ parking area Center endowment effort needed 8 Several other uses are compatible with some of the options including the public administration offices, elderly housing, and private business offices. The Add-ons Other uses that could be incorporated into the main options: Front lawn Use could Use could Use Use Use could be used accommodate accommodate could could could as special continuation of residential accommodate accommodate accommodate event venue Theater/ (weddings, receptions, space business office hallway gallery Cafe etc.) Community space space 1 PublicAdministra- YES NO YES YES YES YES tion Offices (i.e. School Board, Health Dept,) As with any develop- 2 YES YES NO YES YES YES ment, there are some Branded (Trisha Yearwood) proposed building uses Cultural Center that will accommodate multiple activities. 3 This becomes a strong Private business MAYBE MAYBE YES YES YES YES offices selling point when the entire structure needs to be used or when trying to market the 4 building to potential Residential NO NO YES YES MAYBE YES developers. The “add-ons” are just that — extras that can 5 be compatibly includ- Inn/Hotel YES MAYBE YES MAYBE YES YES ed in the programming of the building depend- ing on a main use. 6 Traditional YES YES MAYBE YES YES YES Crafts Training Center 9 We felt very strongly that we should not suggest a use or an activ- ity unless we could find an example of where a similar structure had been used for that function. We looked especially for exam- ples in the southeast and more specifically in Georgia. This list by no means exhausts the examples but should serve as a way to get ideas, find contractors, seek developers or find an- Successful Examples: swers to questions. 1 2 3 Public Branded Private Business Cultural Center Offices Administrative Offices Public Administration: “Branded” Cultural Center: Private Business Bevier Building, Rochester, NY – Origi- Madison Graded School, Madison, Offices nally a school of applied arts, the building GA – The former elementary school now houses the NY State Health Depart- is now a Regional History Museum ment. containing four art galleries, an audi- torium, and space for dance, theater, Canton High School, Canton, GA – This and musical productions. school building now houses the School Board’s public meeting space, and ex- The Sautee Nacoochee Cultural Cen- Highland School Lofts, ecutive conference space. ter, Sautee Nacoochee, GA - This Atlanta, GA – This build- restored rural school house is now ing was first reused as The Leila Ellis Grammar School, Valdo- an all purpose arts and community office space and then sta, GA. This downtown Valdosta was events center. renovated into condo converted into a public health facility and lofts. community service center in 2003. The Thomasville Cultural Center, Thomas- clinic provides health services to county ville, GA – A successful fundraising residents. Lowndes County used cre- campaign brought this school back ative fundraising to pool together several from a roofless refuge for pigeons and funding sources, making this project a vandals. It is now used for educa- reality. tional programs and visual, perform- ing and literary arts opportunities. 10 7 5 6 4 Multi-use Traditional Residential Inn/Hotel building: a Crafts Train- Combination ing Center of Options Residential Inn/Hotel Traditional Crafts Training: Multi-use building: A Union School, West Dundee, Windsor House, Windsor, VT. - Historic Combination of Options IL – This building is now Windsor was formed in 1971 when a group home to 33 affordable senior of citizens, moti- citizen housing apartments. vated by a com- mon interest in his- Historic Jefferson Centre Se- toric preservation, nior Housing, Lafayette, IN - joined together to This building has been turned prevent the demo- Old Francis School, Bend, into senior citizen housing. The Kennedy School, Port- lition of Windsor House. In acquiring, reno- OR – Accommodates a land, OR – The 1915 Kennedy vating, and managing this beautiful Greek variety of uses, including Fremont School, Spartan- School was slated for demoli- Revival building, HWI has become much a 150 seat theatre, hotel burg, SC – Located on the tion and is nowa nostalgic re- more than the keeper of an historic building. rooms, a restaurant, and a edge of downtown Spartan- treat, each room featuring its venue for music. burg, this beautifully restored own charming theme, com- Snow College, historic school building was plete with chalkboard. Ephrim, UT. - This transformed from a vacant building is home hulk into 46 units of afford- to the Traditional able apartments utilizing Building Skills In- both Low Income Housing stitute. The objec- Tax Credits and Historic Tax tive of TBSI is to further the art of traditional Credits.