City and School District Officials Announce Plans for Virginia Pack Site
June 6, 2014
COLUMBIA, SC – The City of Columbia and Richland County School District One officials announced the demolition and future plans for the former Virginia Pack Elementary School site. The demolition project was a result of the collaborative effort of the City, the school district and residents of the Belvedere neighborhood.
Residents had expressed concerns regarding a need for a recreational presence and community center in the neighborhood. The previous space had become a public safety hazard due to its vacancy.
“For some time, we’ve heard requests from the Belvedere Community for more public safety and more community amenities and we have begun to eradicate those problems,” said Councilman Brian DeQuincey Newman. Mayor Steve Benjamin, Councilwoman Tameika Isaac Devine and residents of the Belvedere Community also attended the press conference.
Approximately two years ago, the process and discussions began. The City of Columbia and Richland County School District One came to an agreement that the facility would be too costly to renovate and the layout prohibited efficient reuse. Through a partnership, the City of Columbia and Richland County School District One agreed to demolish the existing structure and build something different. The agreement was signed by Columbia City Council in October 2013.
The City of Columbia has an immediate lease of the property effective for 50 years at a cost of $1 per year. The property had to go through an environmental assessment before anything could be done. Once the assessment was completed work began on the property, which included an extensive abatement process. The project is a continuous effort. When the demolition is completed, the space will be fine-graded to an open playfield (no structure) and will be referred to as the Virginia Pack Open Playfield & Green Space.
The space will be fully accessible to all residents in the Belvedere community for: cookouts, soccer, football, outdoor gatherings and games for children in the community. It will be the City’s responsibility to maintain the property.
Construction of a facility/community center is based on future funding.
