The Clarke County School District announced Tuesday that it will move forward with the long-delayed revitalization of the historic West Broad School campus, beginning with hiring a structural engineer and forming a building committee that includes residents in January.
The plan outlines repurposing the vacant campus for Athens Community Career Academy pathways, preserving the site’s historic character and creating multiuse space for students and residents.
Interim Superintendent Jennifer Scott presented the update during public information sessions at 10 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.; it also was live-streamed.
Scott said the West Broad property has faced severe deterioration after eight years of vacancy, including fire damage, vandalism and weather exposure. She told the community that immediate stabilization work is already underway.
“We must act now, both to preserve an important part of Athens history and to move forward with a plan that gives this space new life,” Scott said.
She added that asbestos removal, vegetation and tree clearing, improved lighting and increased patrols have helped prevent further decline while long-term planning continues.
Scott also emphasized the historical significance of the campus, noting that Athens City Schools purchased the land in 1891 to build a school for Black students.
“The story of West Broad Street School is deeply interwoven within the story of Athens,” she said.
She explained that the school became Georgia’s first accredited Black school in 1922 and served generations of students before closing in 2009.
The district’s revitalization plan proposes restoring two buildings. The Minor Street building would be rehabilitated to reflect its 1938 exterior and would include classrooms, community meeting rooms, a Heritage Room and flexible space for instruction and public use. The Campbell Lane building would serve Athens Community Career Academy programs, including a new construction career pathway supported by more than 3,000 square feet of lab space.
Scott said the pathway “aligns beautifully with the revitalization of this historic campus” and is backed by market research showing strong local demand for construction careers. Georgia Department of Labor data as of first quarter 2025 shows Clarke County has 2,226 construction jobs, supporting the district’s emphasis on workforce needs.
Kimberly Bennett, a lifelong Athens resident, said she believes the district is making the right choice.
“For the district to keep the property and to upgrade it, and to allow students to enjoy the property and to have a historical space, we are ready to move forward on a project to save that space and for education, not housing or any other thing,” Bennett said.
She said she has seen improvements in the district’s facilities over the years and called the plan “a big step for moving us forward.”
Cyndee Moore, the district’s executive director of public relations and communications, urged residents after Scott’s presentation to provide input through the district’s online survey.
We want your feedback so that we can figure out what best fits the needs and desires of our community,” Moore said.
She told attendees that updated information and future surveys will remain available on the West Broad revitalization webpage.
The structural engineer’s findings are expected to be delivered to the Board of Education early next year.
KB Lake is a journalism major in the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia.
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