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Lynchburg council approves sale of historic Opportunity House for childcare conversion
Summary
The Lynchburg City Council voted unanimously to sell city-owned properties at 1505 and 1517 Jackson Street to Lynchburg Services LLC for $200,000; the purchaser plans more than $800,000 in redevelopment to convert the long-vacant Opportunity House into an early-learning childcare center.
The Lynchburg City Council voted unanimously to approve an ordinance authorizing the sale of city-owned parcels at 1505 and 1517 Jackson Street to Lynchburg Services LLC for $200,000, with the buyer expected to invest more than $800,000 to redevelop the long-vacant former Opportunity House into an early-learning childcare center.
Marjette Upsher, director of economic development and tourism, told the council the parcels — located in the Diamond Hill and White Rock Hill neighborhoods and city-owned since 1983 — drew one qualified proposal after a seven-week request for proposals and two public open houses. Upsher said staff recommended approval and that net sale proceeds would be routed through the economic development authority to help address an FTA lien on the Kemper Street property.
“The recommendation is after a public hearing to execute a contract for sale,” Upsher said in presenting the item. She noted the property’s long vacancy and the city’s preference to return the asset to productive use.
Casey Service, the project architect, said the team plans to pursue historic listing or nomination for the structure, which the presentation dated to the 1850s–1860s, and to use historic tax credits to preserve the building’s character while converting it to a childcare center. “Then by getting it nominated as historic and using historic tax credits…that will stay largely,” Casey Service said.
Neighbors spoke in favor of the reuse, citing local need for early-childhood education and the benefit of returning a vacant building to active use. After the public hearing closed, a council member moved to approve the ordinance; the motion was seconded and a roll-call vote recorded the approval as 7–0.
The sale will proceed under terms described in the staff presentation; staff noted the RFP produced a single qualified proposal and that sale proceeds are intended to be applied toward existing liens identified on other city-owned properties. The matter was previously considered by the Planning and Development Committee on Nov. 12 and staff recommended council adoption of the ordinance.
The council’s action authorizes staff to execute the sale contract; the council did not provide additional conditions in the meeting record. The city will process the contract and track redevelopment requirements through the economic development authority.
