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groundcontrol3 t1_j9foo4b wrote

Reply to comment by WhalerBum in A rare look inside (the slow) work to rebuild Richmond’s Fox Elementary School by Charlesinrichmond

If Obama Elementary burned down in Northside they aren't saving the building. The school board also isn't repairing the building because it's cheaper and faster to do so. So why else would they be doing that if it wasn't because of influential parents demanding the building be saved?

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Charlesinrichmond OP t1_j9fpb57 wrote

Because Richmond cares about historic architecture, and tearing it down wouldn't speed things up noticeably - see the rest of school construction

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PopularMedicinetoday t1_j9fy1v3 wrote

It’s historic. Lol dude chill.

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eziam t1_j9fzdmx wrote

It's old but how is it "historic"? Honest question because I have no idea if Fox was a part of history or just an old building.

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Charlesinrichmond OP t1_j9g40dp wrote

it's a thin line. I think part of it is a lack of trust in RPS etc to design new schools that are attractive. We know Fox was

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eziam t1_j9gavu2 wrote

It a thin line. Hopefully they had professionals (engineers, accountants, etc...) deciding the cost to rebuild or renovate. My school is getting town down and not a rebuild because it makes more $$$sense, although it's an ugly campus style from the 1960s that won't work in today's climate.

I'm just worried that the rebuild won't fix the underlying issues of having a very old and neglected school.

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Charlesinrichmond OP t1_j9kc567 wrote

ironically, I'm somewhat glad it burned. Fox was in one of the worst shapes of any RPS school, but there was no way it would ever get any money for renovation because it's the "rich school". It's basically a shell, they have to fix everything there. The only issue will be if they don't provide enough space and bring back the trailers which I could totally see RPS mishandling.

But better a school that will handle another 100 years than a disposable school of the sort they've built lately

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everybodyhateskhris t1_j9g8rd7 wrote

I was curious on Fox as I had never looked them up to see who they were. From the school's website William Fox was the first superintendent of RPS and a staunch supporter of free public education for all children.

The school is historic for notable architecture and notable architect, [Charles Robinson](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_M.Robinson(architect)).

Eta: https://richmondmagazine.com/home/latest/charles-robinson-branch-museum/

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VCUBNFO t1_j9frgxk wrote

Because the Northside school is just standard unflattering architecture with no historical significance or value. Parents there would be fighting for a new school than repairing it because at least they would get a more modern design.

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groundcontrol3 t1_j9ftowl wrote

Obama Elementary is almost just as old of a building as Fox. It celebrated its centennial last year.

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PopularMedicinetoday t1_j9fyb80 wrote

Age isn’t the only reason to keep something around. Architecture plays a huge role.

Many buildings that burnt down from confederacy burning RVA were freaky crappy plank built homes that weren’t worth the wood they were built with.

Regardless, we are talking hypotheticals.

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VCUBNFO t1_j9fwxf0 wrote

Interesting. It doesn’t look like anything significant architecturally.

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