One Bibb County school is getting a second chance at life thanks to a little help from Historic Macon Foundation.
Back in 1932, Alexander IV Elementary School opened its doors for the first time. In 2013, the Bibb County Board of Education deemed it surplus property, but Historic Macon hopes to bring it back to life.
Emily Hopkins with Historic Macon says that's a big reason why the school made it on the Fading Five list -- a list of five endangered properties Historic Macon wants to save.
“It's a blighted building, but it’s a historic building. It has good bones. We feel like we can turn it into something positive for the neighborhood instead of just an empty deteriorating building,” said Hopkins.
With the help of Commissioner Mallory Jones and some of his blight dollars, they were able to save the building from meeting its fate.
The cost of the building from the Bibb Board of Education was around $350,000.
“Any properties that are acquired by blight funds are then acquired by the land bank and the land bank holds them for us,” said Hopkins, “we work to find a preservation development solution for those properties.”
She says that’s where your input comes in. They'll host a community forum to see what the neighborhood has in mind for the old school building. Commissioner Jones already has a few ideas.
“Something real positive for the neighborhood, maybe senior housing, maybe a charter school,” said Jones.
Whatever it becomes, Hopkins is just thankful they could save another landmark.
“This is the fourth property of Macon's Fading Five that has been acquired for rehabilitation,” said Hopkins.
Schofield Iron Works Complex, Alexander IV Elementary School, the Bonnybrae-Bedgood House and the Ware House are the four acquired properties. The last remaining property is the Cotton Avenue District.
For more information, you can visit Historic Macon’s website: http://www.historicmacon.org/resources/fading-five/