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Preservation advocates press council to protect and repurpose Peabody campus
Summary
Speakers at the public information period urged the council to preserve the Peabody campus, calling it the nation's oldest public black high school and requesting disclosure of correspondence from the Virginia Department of Historic Resources; speakers asked the city to prioritize repurposing and public engagement.
During the public information period, preservation advocates and local historians pressed the council to take action to protect and repurpose the Peabody campus.
Julian Green Jr. (Peabody Academic Learning and Development Center) urged regular council attendance and said Peabody is ‘‘the most natural and historic landmark in America for a publicly funded school for blacks in America.’’ Dr. Kenneth Lewis echoed the concern, saying he had seen ‘‘horse-drawn carriages’’ leave manure on the campus, asked for the city to prevent desecration and requested that the city disclose a letter from the Virginia Department of Historic Resources to the Timmons organization about demolition instructions.
Speakers requested more public briefings and presentations documenting Peabody’s history and the city's plans for the property; council members acknowledged interest and said staff were exploring repurposing options and would continue engagement.
