Revamping an institution

By: The Daily Progress | Daily Progress
Published: August 05, 2010

It’s all about leverage.

That term from finance fits ongoing plans to redevelop Charlottesville’s old Jefferson School as a multipurpose community center.

Saving the school building and restoring it to full usefulness was important to area residents because of its long history as a center of education for African-American children. The site is in the Vinegar Hill area, once a community of thriving black homes and businesses.

Project organizers had wanted to develop a place for a mix of businesses and non-profits in partnerships that could help each other create new services. It’s about leverage - using one resource to boost another.

The term “synergy” also fits. In convenient proximity, and working together, tenants can develop new programs for the public. The sum of their collaboration would exceed the value of the individual parts.

Such potential partnerships seem to be germinating, based on a list of tenants-to-be and the programs they are discussing.

The Jefferson Area Board for Aging and Piedmont Virginia Community College have signed letters of intent to locate some of their services at the Jefferson School. One of the services envisioned by JABA is a cafe, which could provide learning opportunites for PVCC culinary arts students.

The YMCA plans a day-care center there. That’s helpful to the Literacy Volunteers of Charlottesville-Albemarle, another expected tenant, because people needing LVCA’s services also often need someone to take care of their children while they are working to improve their literacy skills.

These combinations of programs to support and improve one another fulfills a hope of those who fought for the Jefferson School’s revitalization.

The school also will house an improved Carver Recreation Center and a new African-American Heritage Center.

About a third of the $1.7 million cost has been acquired through a variety of public and private sources. The Jefferson School Community Partnership is now seeking a bank loan for the rest.

If that can be obtained, work could start this fall and be finished in a year.

Revamping an institution

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