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Former Hampton elementary school close to becoming apartment complex

Aspiring developers of the former Wythe Elementary School are one city council vote away from getting the City of Hampton's approval to renovate and repurpose the school.

HAMPTON, Va. (WVEC) — After almost a decade of abandonment, developers hope to renovate the historic Wythe Elementary School building into an apartment complex.

The Hampton Planning Commission unanimously approved the rezoning application to repurpose the school into 40 apartments at a meeting on October 18.

Lisa Jones, President of the Olde Wythe Neighborhood Association, said this has been a goal of neighbors for nearly a decade. She said they want to see the former school active once again.

"We really hope to be drawing more investment by more people," Jones said. "This neighborhood needs a shot in the arm, and we think this is it."

Carla Mingee, a potential property manager for the new apartment building, said there were times over the last decade when she doubted if a new use could ever be found for Wythe Elementary.

"It's taken so long there were many times when we were in doubt that we could actually get it to this point before it was destroyed," Mingee said.

The building is a historic site and therefore needs additional approvals before it can be converted. The Hampton City Council will also vote on the plan at a November meeting.

Mingee said she was especially excited to find a new use for the building after finding a picture of students outside the school in 1944. The students lined up with tools to leave the school and go work on farms in order to help solve the manpower shortage during World War II.

Jones and Mingee said they think the apartment plan will be very unique for Hampton, combining the history of the building with a contemporary interior.

The rezoning applicants, John Aubrey Garland and Lara Katz of Roanoke, said construction and renovations could start in the spring of 2019, pending approvals. The apartments could be ready for residents by the start of 2020.

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