Buildings with a connection to African-American history are already very rare, because until recent times no one fought to preserve that history. This building is closely connected to the movement to meet the need to expand the workforce during and after World War II. The labor force deficit meant that African Americans could be hired for work in fields previously closed to them. The government even helped to meet that need by providing child care for African American women. In my view the building symbolizes a very important shift in the course of American history and therefore deserves to be preserved.

Sharon,
You mention the price is $675,000 but nobody has made an offer? Seems everyone has an opinion though.
...i guess opinions are free and actually buying and preserving it cost $$$. Interesting how that works.

I looked for a MLS listing and could not find one....any idea where it is listed for sale?
Thanks
Erica

if nobody can come up with the $675k, why not chop it into 2-3 pieces, load it on a flat bed and move it to another location (perhaps a city owned property). then perhaps GAPA, SHA, and other community groups can work together to renovate it. Behind the Black History Museum sits a garage building. Why not work out a creative agreement with the owners and put the Carver Building on the roof of the garage. There it would be easily accessible from visitors to the Reading Room, BHM and Charles Houston Rec Center. Little Theater owns the north half of the building, a friend and I own the southern half. My friend and i would be game to participate if the structure can support it and we can work out a fair and resonable arrangement. Creativity can solve this. And yes, i do believe we should try to preserve it (Tom) so there is my offer to put some skin in the game...

WWII school house is not historic in my opinion- however it probably can be moved.

Comparison to a civil war statue representing American lives lost in the most costly and significant conflict in this nations history that sits in the middle of an intersection is ridiculous.

Erica: The City's listing for this property is here:

http://alexandriava.gov/uploadedFiles/planning/info/staff%20real%20estate%20flyer%20for%20224%20north%20fayette%20street(6).pdf

I thought Boyd Walker was going to save this historic property. It's already awning-free, so it would be perfect for him.

The Historic Structure Report is worth a look. Cutting-up the building is like cutting-up the neighborhood---doesn't make sense to me.

I see Justin Wilson is on this thread...can you and other members of the Council block this from happening? What are the options here other than coming up with more than a half million dollars? Preserving our past in a city that is changing much too quickly with unsightly, out-of-scale, gargantuan buildings seems more important than ever.

LOL Edgar.

Billy: I'm just one member, but speaking for myself, the best way for demolition of this property to be stopped is for someone to step forward to purchase the property from the current land-owner with the intention of preserving it. That was the purpose behind the settlement agreement.

The City agreed to advertise the property for sale, which it has done for the past 2 years. As I understand, a purchaser has not stepped forward.

While I was not party to the settlement at the time, I believe that the hope was that over the 2 years, the Plantiff who sued to stop the demolition was going to work with the private sector to raise the necessary funds to purchase the property.

I'm not sure what private fundraising has occurred over the past two years. Perhaps if the private fundraising gains momentum, the landowner may be willing to extend the deadline a bit. That would be between the landowner and those looking to preserve the property.

My view is that expecting the taxpayers to come up with over a million dollars ($675,000 for acquisition + an unknown amount for repairs simply to bring it to Code) for this purpose at a time when we have severe capital needs (most importantly to address school capacity challenges) is just not a reasonable expectation.

There is no question that this property has historic value--but the City's capacity to address these preservation efforts is not unlimited. It must be a partnership with private efforts.

It would be easy for the City of Alexandria to block this action. Just buy the building for the asking price from the developer. I'm sure he will gladly walk away when he is paid for his investment.

If that isn't an option, I suggest everyone that wants to save the building start a fund raising campaign to buy it from the developer. What you do not want to do is punish the developer by blocking/seizing the building since that will send a very bad message to the future development of many of the old decrepit buildings that are currently for sale.

We, all of us, as a society, need to recognize the historical significance of diversity in our population and acknowledge the achievements of those who struggled for equality, against all odds, no matter what their race, creed or religion might have been. Buildings, such as the one in question, while being a part of the past, are just that, the past. All of us, working together, need to shed the anchorage of prejudice in our society, no matter where it exists, as we strive for equality and equal opportunity for every single person, today. But while the former Carver Nursery School building's future is now very much in question, just think of the amount of money which could potentially be raised to 'save' the building, $675,000.00. Is it really worth it, as citizens of the City of Alexandria, to try to raise $675,000.00 to save the building, or, would that money be better suited to teach children in the African-American community how to read, or, maybe to have it invested in something else, like maintaining community pools, or putting it into libraries? Here's the question that is left unanswered, once $675,000.00 is raised, and the building is purchased, then what? How much money would be needed to refurbish the building, which is in much needed repair? Additionally, how much money would need to be raised on an annual basis, too? My guess is that if someone hasn't already stepped forward to donate money to save the building, is that it's not going to happen.

Call Oprah, she spends millions a year on a school in Africa. Perhaps she can spare a single million to save an American school building significant to Americans of African decent...

Ormes Temple, a temple of love and light that teaches, coaches, shares and celebrates the Tantra Yoga precepts from both the Indian/Vedic and African/Kemetic Traditions is interested in possibly utilizing this structure and saving it. Why should our African American contributions to our community be earmarked for destruction? It is possible that we can put it to valuable use for the whole of the community, supporting unity. Please let us hear how we can follow up on this interest.
Thanks, with Sincerity, Love and Respects, Ma KRSTN: !st Ministering Priestess and founder of the nonprofit educational center for Sacred Life Sciences; Ormes Temple.

Okay, people, whether one thinks this building is historic or not, once the new Jefferson Houston school is in place there will no longer be a Head Start, ACPS needs to look closely at this, for the $44M they will spend on a new building, why can't they spare $675K to invest in the Carver Nursery building to bring it back to one of its original uses to serve as a Head Start for our community? Where will the people that currently use the Head Start go once the current building is demolished, I think ACPS needs to stand up here and take this now before its to late. Our City is a historic City and needs to preserve our past, there are way to many new buildings going up, and way to many plaques that do not fully represent what our City is and was. Preserve this building. Dr. Sherman you are not doing enough for our City, stop taking and start giving. $675K is nothing compared to the $44M that will be spent replacing the current Jefferson Houston school.

The Head Start currently located at the corner of Cameron and West Streets do not have an enrollment of 250+ students, your number reflects the number throughout the City. Yes, there would be an expense to renovating the building on Fayette Street, I am just saying if ACPS is going to spend $44M for a new school building that may or may not improve the studies and grades of the students that attend the school, they need to keep a head start program in place and with the Fayette Street building available, even with the expense of renovation, the building does have historic value to a lot of people whether that is you or not. This building should be kept rather than a plaque stating it was once there. Even though in the last two years an individual has not come forward to buy this property, there is no reason ACPS could not. Just saying.

Mr. Walker has property in Old Town he could sell to buy this building if it was that important to him but one doesn't see him offering to do that. Of course Mr. Walker and everyone else (who won't put there own money into the building), have no problem expecting the current owner to spend his money and not be able to control what happens to the building.

I wish people were more concerned with todays children, the ones who breathe in all the asbestos fibers that are released into the air when a shingle gets blown off the roof in bad wind. Why is that not anyone's top concern. Nothing like stepping over asbestos shingles that were blown off the roof as you walk towards the playground for the past 5 years......