Group sees Duncan School as centerpiece of revitalized West End

State Alexander, spokesman for Livingstone College, stands in front of Duncan School, which would be redeveloped if the city wins a federal grant to transform the West End neighborhood. Photo by Emily Ford

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Russell Smyre, director of facilities for Livingstone College, screws shut a door at Duncan School in an attempt to deter vandals. Photo by Emily Ford

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Old books and pigeon droppings litter a classroom in Duncan School, which would be redeveloped as part of the West End Transformation Plan. Photo by Emily Ford

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Vandals have broken windows and stolen everything of value from Duncan School. Photo by Emily Ford

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Vandals have stolen everything of value from Duncan School, including electrical boxes and copper wire. Photo by Emily Ford

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Vandals climbed out of a third floor window in Duncan School to spray graffiti on the building. Photo by Emily Ford

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Vandals have stolen everything of value from Duncan School, including window unit air conditioners. Photo by Emily Ford

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Russell Smyre, director of facilities for Livingstone College, stands in the auditorium at Duncan School, which would be redeveloped as part of the West End Transformation Plan. Photo by Emily Ford

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Performances once again would take place on stage in the Duncan School auditorium if the city wins a federal grant to transform the West End neighborhood. Photo by Emily Ford

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Performances once again would take place on stage in the Duncan School auditorium if the city wins a federal grant to transform the West End neighborhood. Photo by Emily Ford

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Classroom tools litter Duncan School, which would be redeveloped as part of the West End Transformation Plan. Photo by Emily Ford

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Vandals have broken windows and stolen everything of value from Duncan School. Photo by Emily Ford

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By Emily Ford

eford@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — A red-tailed hawk has taken up residence in the lofty auditorium, feasting on unlucky pigeons that fly in through broken windows.

Thieves have ripped out nearly every piece of metal from air conditioners, walls and ceilings to sell as scrap.

Vandals have left their mark everywhere, even crawling out a second-story window to scrawl gang signs and indecipherable messages on the brick exterior.

Duncan School, a historic landmark that once served as a black public school during segregation, stands on West Monroe Street as a sad shell of its former self.

Defiled and decaying, the brick edifice that once held 4,000 elementary students now holds trash and pigeon droppings.

The dilapidated building owned by Livingstone College has taken a psychological toll on the West End neighborhood, said William Peoples, a community activist.

“Anytime something historical falls into disrepair, it does something to the people who remember how vibrant it used to be,” Peoples said. “That’s why it’s so important that Livingstone and the community work together to try to bring it back to its glory.”

That could happen if the city and Salisbury Housing Authority win a grant to transform the West End.

The transformation plan features the redevelopment of Duncan School. Salisbury’s proposal, which will compete with 16 others from cities across the U.S. for up to $30 million in federal money, calls for the building to serve as a community hub offering everything from education to health care to a business incubator.

The core planning team made up of architects and planners revealed their proposal last week to the West End Transformation Plan Steering Committee, which embraced the idea.

‘An importantanchor’

The crux of the West End Transformation Plan remains tearing down and rebuilding Civic Park Apartments, a public housing complex. If the city and housing authority win the federal grant, they must spend 70 percent of the money on Civic Park.

But redeveloping Duncan School will serve as another integral piece of the ambitious proposal, which aims to improve the quality of life in the West End.

The city has held several forums to gauge public opinion.

“Time and time again, every time we met with residents, people have told us how much they feel that Duncan School is an important anchor in the community,” said Joe Morris, the city’s director for Community Planning Services.

The plan calls for more parks and playgrounds, better transportation, better lighting, job training, access to doctors and clinics, additional housing and new businesses. For example, Duncan School would include a bistro, where Livingstone College culinary students could sell food they prepare.

Eyesore to asset?

The three-story building at 1000 W. Monroe St. originally housed J.C. Price High School, a black high school that outgrew the facility and moved to West Bank Street.

The structure became Monroe Street School, a black elementary school. When the school system closed the school due to falling attendance and moved students to other public schools in 1980, the building became a black history center.

In 1983, Livingstone College bought the building, by then called the Samuel E. Duncan School in honor of a former college president. The college’s education department and the Head Start program operated in the facility until about 10 years ago.

Due to asbestos, the children and college students had to leave, and the building was shut down.

Livingstone won a grant and removed the asbestos, spokesman State Alexander said, but hasn’t been able to afford the extensive renovations to reopen the facility.

Duncan School could once again serve as a crown jewel of the neighborhood, serving both college and community, Alexander said.

As owner of the building, Livingstone took some heat last week at the steering committee meeting, which was open to the public.

Michael Kirksey said the college hasn’t been a good steward of Duncan School or other property Livingstone owns on Monroe Street.

“Livingstone has turned their back on the West End community, and now they are looking for an opportunity with this building here,” he said.

The college has abandoned the building, neglecting the landmark and failing to properly secure it, Kirksey said.

Alexander defended Livingstone and said the school ran out of money for the expensive project. Students, not buildings, are the school’s focus when resources are limited, he said.

The college wants the building to “become not just an eyesore but an asset,” Alexander said. “We didn’t want this to happen.”

Years of trying

During a recent tour of the building, at least three exterior doors were unsecured. Alexander was surprised and concerned.

“This is not good,” he said.

Russell Smyre, director of facilities for the college, said employees have repeatedly boarded up doors and windows, but people continue to break in. After the tour, two employees used a drill to screw the open doors shut.

Alexander said Livingstone officials have been trying for years to find a way to redevelop the building.

“We don’t pass by the building without seeing the problem, and we know we need to do a lot more to change it,” he said.

Mae Carroll, the J.C. Price Post American Legion commander who attended the meeting, said many people in the West End are concerned about Livingstone’s intentions.

The college should host a meeting so “all of us can come and share misconceptions and put everything on the table,” Carroll said.

Alexander told the Post the college has an open-door policy and will meet with anyone. After the steering committee meeting last week, Alexander stayed to talk with Kirksey, Carroll and others. He said they had a productive, amicable discussion.

‘Good stewards’

Livingstone College President Dr. Jimmy Jenkins met previously with community members and shared his support for the Duncan School redevelopment and West End Transformation Plan.

Dee Dee Wright, who lives in the West End and serves on the steering committee, defended Livingstone.

“They have been good stewards of Duncan School,” she said.

As president, Jenkins “has done a yeoman’s job” beautifying the campus, Wright said.

Wright supports any effort to maintain an educational focus at Duncan School. She has an affinity for the property, as her godmother was nationally recognized educator Elizabeth Duncan Koontz, sister of the school’s namesake, Samuel Duncan.

While Livingstone needs to do a better job securing the property, the lack of redevelopment isn’t the college’s fault, Peoples said.

“The school needs to be more vigilant and keep a closer eye,” he said. “But Livingstone is like any other business in this economy. They have all suffered.”

Peoples suggested creating a community board for Duncan School, so the public and Livingstone would work together to manage and oversee the new venture.

“Dr. Jenkins has asked us for the best way to engage the community, and that might be the answer,” said Morris, the city’s director for Community Planning Services.

Peoples also supports the vision for Duncan School as a center for commerce featuring job training, restaurants and small businesses. Plans call for additional buildings constructed alongside the school, as well as new townhomes for Livingstone faculty and a large park behind the building.

The Duncan School property takes up an entire city block.

“It seems that all the items requested by the community could be housed in this one place,” architect Bill Burgin said.

Determined tosucceed

The grant deadline is April, several months earlier than expected.

If the city wins $30 million, most of the money will go to Civic Park, and the Duncan School redevelopment will require additional funding.

If the city doesn’t win, organizers still want to find money to implement the transformation plan.

Organizers could start new programs now to hold the attention of people affected by the transformation plan, said Thomasina Paige, a steering committee member.

“People think this can happen in a couple of years, but it’s not going to happen that fast,” she said.

Transforming the neighborhood will take time.

“They have to be able to visualize the future for their children,” Paige said.

Contact reporter Emily Ford at 704-797-4264.