Written by Tanya Terry, with photos by Tanya Terry
The Flint Central and Whittier campus has been closed for over 15 years, but community leaders are excited about the campus’ potential to help students and the community in the future.
The Flint Community Schools Board of Education recently took the first step in redeveloping the Central-Whittier campus after trustees unanimously approved a proposal for schematic design oversight for a new middle and high school campus at their most recent meeting.
The district will be paying $15,000 a month to full-service real estate advisor, Plante Moran Realpoint, based in Southfield Michigan. The project as a whole is expected to be $120,000.
The board has contracted Plante Moran Realpoint to be responsible for facilitating design of the building and other architectural work, overseeing the schematic design and overseeing the project as construction manager.
Trustee Dylan Luna pointed out the schools’ location, off East Court Street, is in close proximity to the University of Michigan-Flint, Sloan Museum of Discovery, Longway Planetarium and the Gloria Coles Flint Public Library. Therefore, he added, it would “enrich the academic experience of students.”
Luna also stated: “This is a location that’s in the central area…whether you’re from the north, west, south or east side, where you can access by highway. So, to me, it’s about equity and access.”
Luna, who said he lives two blocks from the blighted school himself, added that a lot of people who attend events at the FIM or shows at the Whiting or throughout the cultural area “don’t look like” him.
He said: “To me, this democratizes that campus to say ‘hey, you know what, if you’re the north side of Flint, west side, south side, the color of your skin, how you look, how much money you make, you’re part of this worldclass cultural center campus now at no cost, and you can use all these institutions because they’re yours to use.”
A target date for the campus opening is not yet being discussed
But, Flint School Board President Joyce Ellis-McNeal called the plan “good” and “foreseeable.”
When Flint Central, which was built in 1923, closed in 2009 due to declining enrollment, the district had nearly 13,800 students enrolled. The number has now decreased to a little more than 2,700.
The Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, as well as the State of Michigan are helping to fund the redevelopment efforts.
Regular Flint Community School Board meetings are held on the second and third Wednesdays of the month Meeting locations may include the FCS Administration Building or Accelerated Learning Academy.