Powhatan board approves partial demolition of Pocahontas Landmark Center after months of debate; community members urge preservation

The Powhatan County School Board on Tuesday voted 4-1 to award a contract to Demolition Services to remove portions of the Pocahontas Landmark Center, concluding a contentious discussion that drew dozens of public speakers urging the board to save and reuse the historic school building.

School staff and the board said the board-approved partial demolition targets the B and D wings, the adjoining cafeteria, the upper C hallway and a cottage that staff described as uninhabitable because of long-term water damage and hazardous materials. "We recommend that, to proceed, and award the contract to Demolition Services and begin work as soon as July 7," said Mr. Benway, a district staff member who presented the updated cost estimate and scope.

The vote follows a new round of engineering, testing and bidder proposals that produced a much wider range of estimates than the district earlier reported. Dewberry's 2023 facility study had placed a demolition estimate near $900,000 for the sections identified; after a later contractor pricing round and an expanded asbestos assessment, district staff reported a responsive low bid…