Council tables issue of designating former school as historic landmark

Members of the Lawrenceburg Board of Mayor and Council voted Wednesday to table an ordinance regarding the rezoning of the former West Gaines Street School that would have brought it into the city’s historic district.

Council members gave first approval to the ordinance in October and scheduled a public hearing to be held on the matter Thursday morning. No one addressed the board during the public hearing and City Attorney Alan Betz then recommended that the council table the matter “due to the actions of the school board.” Adding the school to the city’s historic district would essentially dictate what work could be done to the building.

The property in question belongs to the Lawrence County Board of Education and was used to educate students of color prior to desegregation in 1964. A committee of citizens organized in the hopes of preserving the school told council members last month that they hope that, in the future, the building might be utilized as a community center.

The committee is in the process of obtaining a nonprofit status. Committee members plan to meet with state historical society representatives in December in the hopes of securing grant funds that might help with the cost involved in repairing the structure. As it stands, the building has been vacant for a number of years and is in a state of disrepair, creating a considerable liability issue for school officials. Asbestos abatement is also an issue that would have to be addressed.

The issue was discussed by members of the Lawrence County School Board during their November 15 meeting. The structure and the 2.1 acre lot on which it sits, has been listed for sale for some time. After hearing requests from the citizens’ committee, board members voted to take the property off of the market, allowing the group time to obtain nonprofit status and make an offer to obtain it.