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Home > Blogs > Get on the Bus > Archives > 2006 > May > 15 > Entry
A battle brewing over Roosevelt?
The Dayton school board canceled a planned press conference today to announce a partnership with the city to build a school and recreation center at the site of Roosevelt High School. At this point, there is no indication that the deal is in trouble. I’ve been told the city and school board are simply working out details before going public. But there is no reschedule date yet for the announcement.
Meanwhile, board member Joe Lacey released a statement saying he opposes the demolition of Roosevelt and doesn’t understand why the board is moving that direction without any public discussion. I’m working on a story about this for tomorrow.
Here’s Joe’s statement:
Opposition to the Proposed Demolition of Roosevelt High School
In light of this morning’s announcement of the Dayton City School District and the City of Dayton’s plans for the site of Roosevelt High School on West Third Street, I wish to make clear my opposition to the demolition of the Roosevelt school building.
The building is significant to our community, historically and architecturally. Built in 1923, it has architectural details important to maintaining the character of the neighborhood and the West Third corridor. Any new construction could not come close to creating this level of detail externally or internally. Its historic significance in Dayton’s early struggles with integration is important to our community.
Its demolition is not necessary to the Dayton City Schools new building program. The School District has no shortage of sites in the area that it owns that would be suitable for building a new school.
Its demolition is not necessary to the City of Dayton’s recreational complex plans as they have been presented to me. Roosevelt is one of five sites that the City has considered and I am assured by commission members that this site is only under consideration once the school board has decided that they will demolish Roosevelt, a decision that has not to my knowledge been made.
The plans for Roosevelt’s restoration by the collaborative of groups are viable and should be given the opportunity to succeed. I’ve witnessed very similar plans succeed in my own neighborhood’s Huffman School. Several Dayton Public School buildings have been renovated or reused successfully as offices, shops, housing and schools. The board members supporting demolition of Roosevelt have yet to demonstrate why renovation can’t work at Roosevelt.
Permalink | Comments (8) | Categories: Dayton Public Schools
Comments
By Demisha
May 18, 2006 10:29 AM | Link to this
While everyone is bickering over politics, money and who’s plan will work. There are thousands of kids ,who are suffering from lack of support from our community,education,mentors,positive role models, showing them that there is a bright side on the other side of the poverty stricken battle. There are lives being taken everyday. The streets are getting better,so why can’t be make our community better? We are losing big focus on the purpose in the first place, I thought is join together to help save our children,Our future? What’s the Deal Dayton?By matt
May 17, 2006 4:46 AM | Link to this
That’s just it Dave. The Ujima/Parks coalition IS funded to buy, renovate and restore Roosevelt as well as qualified and concerned for the area. This is a classic case of a few school board members playing one game to buy time while working out another scenario in the wings. I called it sneaky before. It justifies them keeping the building up in utilities etc and if the bottom falls out on the new school deal then theres the Ujima/Parks deal. Again I say shame on Dayton school board. What they have done here is dirty,it is wrong and sneaky. They should have stated intentions from the start. -MattBy TR26
May 16, 2006 5:07 PM | Link to this
Arcade, Building 26, Roosevelt, all the same. It took Raj Soin to save World A’Fair. You don’t need inside information to know that it’s money that gets the project done.By Dave
May 16, 2006 12:03 PM | Link to this
TR26, are you saying that the Ujima/Parks coalition has a $25 million shortfall in money needed for this project? Joe Lacey’s statement is that the proposal is workable, which implies that they have financing. Do you have inside info the rest of us don’t have?By TR26
May 16, 2006 8:55 AM | Link to this
People can moan about the significance of the building, but this is about cash. If any of you preservationists have $25 million or so lying around to hand over to the Ujima/Parks coalition, now’s the time. Otherwise, it’s just like that custom-built country estate and terrific new car we all would like to have—in a word, unaffordable. SO, may I politely suggest that future complaints be accompanied by a pledge of financial support?By Matt
May 15, 2006 5:43 PM | Link to this
I feel that what the school board has done here is extremely sneaky and against the desires of the people they serve. They advertised this building for redevelopment and got not one but two financially responsible parties who ended up combining into one to redevelop and save this building. Just when we think it’s done and time to stop worrying these jerks go behind everyone’s backs and pulls the rug out from under us. Dayton school board shame on you, if you tear that building down you will never see the whites of my kid’s eyes in your halls. Not that it matters I’m confident.By Mary
May 15, 2006 4:20 PM | Link to this
As a citizen of Ohio outside the Dayton School District, I believe it is much more in the public’s collective interest to help finance the restoration and upkeep of Roosevelt than it is to finance the $1 million in state tax dollars for Welcome Stadium upgrade. Stadiums are costly structures - infrequently utilized by some small pockets of interest. Roosevelt is a historically and architecturally significant building that could be used day and night and year round for many differing purposes for a wider cross section of the public.By charles
May 15, 2006 3:24 PM | Link to this
that area has been depressed for over45 years new buliding not change anything i think schoolshould be on national regester find a use for itall of dayton is losing jobs folish to spend money u not have