Parents of students at Beacon Hill Dual Language Academy are planning for a showdown with the city over the old Beacon Hill Elementary building.
Advocates of keeping it upright while raising money to renovate it say that it's a historical gem, but supporters of demolishing the building say it's a hindrance to students that has stood untouched for far too long.
"It’s the time to move forward with a plan to meet the needs of our children," said parent Joyce Hernandez-Kelley, whose child goes to BHDLA. "If we make that decision to just pause, we’re gonna be here 10, 15, 20 years from now. There's no money, there's no change in 20 years, and now's the time."
SAISD says at the Beacon Hill Academy campus, the old Beacon Hill Elementary building has not been in use for 20 years. It says that with no need for the building and for safety reasons, they have had to close off the playground that is next to it. Some parents say that the building restricts recess and prevents school sports teams from practicing or playing on campus.
The district estimated that renovations would cost more than $5 million, so SAISD applied for a demolition permit from the city. The city's Historical Design Review Committee scheduled a hearing to discuss the eligibility of the building for a Historic Designation, setting the meeting for November 7.
The Office of Historic Preservation released a statement, saying:
"SAISD has submitted a demolition permit for the historic Beacon Hill Elementary building. The building is historically significant, so staff has referred it to the HDRC to consider a Finding of Historic Significance. If the HDRC finds that the building is significant, then it would be referred to City Council for a resolution to initiate the landmark designation process, which is a zoning change. The building was designed by Leo Diehlman in 1915 and is a good example of educational architecture from that period. OHP commissioned a structural assessment of the building by a nationally sought after structural engineer who has determined that the building is sound and certainly repairable. The 10-foot perimeter fence around the building is an appropriate security measure and the fence around the playground is unnecessary.
Shannon Miller, the director of the Office of Historic Preservation, offered this comment:
“Demolition is irreversible and must not be considered lightly. The City is in agreement that the building should not continue to sit in its current condition but believes strongly that there are other alternatives available including the transfer of the property to another entity who can rehabilitate it utilizing State federal historic tax credits."