KEEGO HARBOR, Mich. (WXYZ) — Community members in Keego Harbor are rallying to save a 103-year-old building, which was the former Roosevelt Elementary School.
Parents 7 Action News talked to are expressing strong feelings about the future of the century-old school, telling us they hope to prevent it from being torn down.
Parent Angelica Arens is among those hoping to raise awareness.
“Keego Harbor is a very small community. This building is at the heart of it. If you just knock it down and leave a vacant lot, it does things for our property values, where kids can go,” Arens said.
Another voice in the effort is David Emerling.
“It’s a 103-year-old school — the first high school in West Bloomfield. The first graduating class was 1929 and the class picture is still on the wall. I’m a passionate resident on the planning commission but speaking for myself,” Emerling said.
He told us there were 350 students at the school when a vacant room experienced a partial ceiling collapse. The building was shut down for safety reasons and since then, West Bloomfield School District has opted to use other facilities.
On a recent tour of the building for developers, Anmar Sarafa says he saw potential for the building to be converted to apartments or mixed-use.
“This is a building that seems to be in very good shape. The brick looks fantastic. We weren’t allowed upstairs to see what the issues were like the ceiling that collapsed or whatever,” Sarafa said.
Emerling says the building could be torn down as soon as next summer after a 5-2 board vote in September.
In response, a spokesperson for the district sent us a statement. Part of it reads:
“The district made extensive efforts to engage with the community throughout this process, holding five input/feedback sessions… this was not an easy recommendation to make and we understand the emotions surrounding the decision.”
Referring to the building, the statements also says, “Maintaining it is not a safe or financially responsible choice. This decision has been under discussion for over a decade …”
We’ve learned that although a bond had also passed, the district has taken into account a larger strategic vision and declining enrollment. The district plan puts funds toward resources that can be developed and used to prioritize education, according to statements they’ve made.
However, Angelica still told us “Community members have donated time and resources to building pieces of this building and to strip that away rips out the heart of our city.”
Both a school board member and the school board president declined an interview request. To read a full statement from West Bloomfield Schools District, see below:
