Dare County to demolish former probation office; old youth center assigned to local charity

The Dare County Board of Commissioners voted March 3 to demolish an old brick building that had housed the county probation office and to make the county's former youth center available for community use.

County officials told the board that the small red brick probation office, located near Cooperative Extension, has extensive mold and structural problems. The county manager said the cost to bring the building up to usable condition would be roughly $450,000 to $475,000. With no programmatic need to reoccupy the structure, the board voted unanimously to demolish it.

At the same meeting the board discussed the adjoining former youth center building. County staff proposed light renovations to make the youth center usable for community groups and identified two interested parties: a community clothing program that distributes coats for children and the Lost Colony Foundation, which is seeking office and exhibit space. Commissioners authorized modest repairs (paint, carpet, soffits and basic work) and approved allowing the coats-for-kids group to establish operations in the former youth center. The board directed staff to complete the small upgrades so the building can be used by the community organization.

Why it matters: the decisions repurpose county property while avoiding a large capital expenditure to fix an aging, mold‑damaged structure. County staff said the demolition would free up parking area for Cooperative Extension or be available for future use.

Implementation: demolition will proceed and staff will coordinate any site work needed for parking. Renovation work for the youth center will be limited to basic maintenance and safety measures to bring the building into public-facing condition, and staff said those costs can be covered from maintenance budgets.