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New $21M school being built on Roosevelt High site

Elected city members, including City of Dayton mayor Rhine McLin, take their opportunity to break ground for the new Dayton Boys Prep Academy, which is now housed in the former McNeary Elementary School on Hoover Ave., Monday April 13 on 2013 West Third St in Dayton. Dayton Boys Prep Academy and City of Dayton Rec Plex will be built at the location of Roosevelt High School.

Teesha McClam/Dayton Daily News Elected city members, including City of Dayton mayor Rhine McLin, take their opportunity to break ground for the new Dayton Boys Prep Academy, which is now housed in the former McNeary Elementary School on Hoover Ave., Monday April 13 on 2013 West Third St in Dayton. Dayton Boys Prep Academy and City of Dayton Rec Plex will be built at the location of Roosevelt High School.

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Student Council vice president Savon Cohen and treasurer Tykell Brooks, who attend Dayton Boys Prep Academy, which is housed in the former McNeary Elementary School on Hoover Ave., gives a smile before breaking ground for their new school, where Roosevelt High School stood, Monday April 13 on 2013 West Third St in Dayton.

Teesha McClam/Dayton Daily News Student Council vice president Savon Cohen and treasurer Tykell Brooks, who attend Dayton Boys Prep Academy, which is housed in the former McNeary Elementary School on Hoover Ave., gives a smile before breaking ground for their new school, where Roosevelt High School stood, Monday April 13 on 2013 West Third St in Dayton.

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By Anthony Gottschlich, Staff Writer Updated 1:42 AM Tuesday, April 14, 2009

DAYTON — On a cold, gray day more befitting a funeral than a celebration, Dayton city and school leaders stood by the barren ground of the former Roosevelt High School Monday to launch a $21 million new beginning for the West Third Street site.

“This is another wonderful spring day in Dayton, nice and warm,” Mayor Rhine McLin began, half in jest, during a groundbreaking April 13 for the Dayton Boys Preparatory Academy and City of Dayton Rec Plex. “If you think it’s cold, change your attitude.”

Plans for the 13-acre parcel call for a 73,000-square-foot school on three floors connected by a common wall to a 45,000-square-foot recreation complex. Combined, the complex at 2013 W. Third St. will house conventional gymnasiums, lap and therapeutic pools, a family interactive play area and multipurpose rooms for after-school programming and community uses.

Officials also said the complex will serve as a “new anchor” for West Third Street development.

Roosevelt grad Charlene Hairston Wortham welcomed the plans Monday, but with mixed emotions.

“I hate to ride by and see (Roosevelt) not here; it’s a piece of me,” said Wortham, Class of ‘62. “But it’s a new beginning and it’ll be a bigger and better thing here now for the kids that are coming.”

The city’s picking up $7.2 million of the cost; the school district the rest as part of its district-wide new school construction project. Completion is slated for August 2010.

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Alice, what part of West Dayton did you live in?
I lived on Kings Highway and I've never seen any of these upstanding caring parents you speak of.
Thank God we got out of there while our kids were still too young for school.

harddaysnight
1:50 PM, 4/16/2009

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I was in the 1960 class,would love to hear from old friends

Donald Gill
6:11 PM, 4/14/2009

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What's done is done, but this is another example of how leadership in Dayton tears down the only worthwhile buildings in an area in order to build new ones. Meanwhile, all the boarded-up, abandoned and blighted areas in the surrounding neighborhood are left standing. The leaders have it backwards: We should tear down the eyesores and save the cherished old bldgs. Next to go will be the Julienne bldg. Too bad we in Dayton don't revere our architextural past as Europeans do.

Bob540
1:36 PM, 4/14/2009

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Not a hater. Just tired of paying for the irresponsible behavior of the west Dayton community.

bruce
12:19 PM, 4/14/2009

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Oprah can't control waht goes on at her "scrool" that she pumped millions into...what makes you think the Dayton "Scrool Bored" will make sure this 21 million "down the rat hole" won't become....a 21 million dollar rat hole? Oh, I know!!! Because of "Hope-Change-Feel Good-Fuzzies...!!! Your Mad-Hatter Mayor already has the failure excuses cued up...the list is long and none of it points to anyone involved in this project.

Wordell
11:44 AM, 4/14/2009

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