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Goochland staff present housing affordability data and options for reusing former elementary and CTE buildings
Summary
County staff briefed the board on housing‑market trends, lot inventories and workforce implications, and presented a space‑study that outlines potential adaptive reuses for the former Goochland Elementary and CTE buildings (county offices, childcare, café/restaurant, community uses). Renovation costs could be large and staff will return more detailed financial analysis.
Staff presented regional housing and workforce data and noted potential pressure on housing supply as Goochland grows. The presentation showed a 2025 median home price in Goochland in the mid‑$600,000s, a median household income around $118,000 and a large share of residents aged 45–65. Staff said the county had roughly 1,726 lots in its inventory but classified about 1,047 as active and 679 as inactive, which affects near‑term housing availability.
“Workforce is still a key driver for economic development,” a county staff member said, noting that employers frequently ask about housing supply and affordability when considering expansion. The board discussed how growth from large employers increases demand for a range of housing types and stressed the need for more precise fiscal‑impact analysis on different housing forms.
On adaptive reuse, staff summarized a preliminary architectural 'test‑fit' study for the former Goochland Elementary School and the adjacent career‑technical education (CTE) building. The study offered options including county offices and childcare in the elementary building, and community/entertainment or childcare uses for the CTE building; a combined hotel concept was analyzed but staff told supervisors conversion costs made that option challenging.
Officials stressed that renovation costs could be substantial and that the county lacks capital dollars at present to complete a major conversion: staff estimated the most ambitious reuse could require multimillion‑dollar investment. The presentation and follow‑up discussion will inform the county’s space‑planning work and any future budget requests.
Next steps: staff will present the detailed space‑study and further financial analysis to the board in upcoming meetings and will continue to compile housing affordability data to support strategic decisions about workforce housing and infrastructure.
