Hinesville City Council took a step toward bringing the old Hineshaw School back to life.
Council members approved a construction management project contract with Statesboro’s Pope Construction to oversee the work needed to renovate and bring the former school back to life.
The bid total is based on a percentage of the construction costs. Pope Construction will get 8% of the construction costs for its work, and the city has $500,000 in special purpose local option sales tax proceeds set aside for work on Hineshaw.
Assistant City Manager Ryan Arnold said the work includes shoring up walls while the roof is removed, and putting in support columns and replacing the roof to prevent future damage.
“The primary goal is to stabilize the roof,” he told council members.
Council member Jason Floyd said previous councils wanted to preserve the history of the school. Turning into a community center once it is finished has been discussed, and Floyd noted the city has worked with the nonprofit Friends of Hineshaw to help with that goal.
Hineshaw originally served as a school for Black children in Hinesville. The building, which is 5,895 square feet and is on Gause Street, was started in 1930 and finished in 1931.
It is known as a Rosenwald school, named for the businessman and philanthropist Julius Rosenwald. Rosenwald contributed millions of dollars to build schools for Black children in the rural South. He teamed with Booker T. Washington to build schools for Black children in the South, completing more than 5,000 between 1912-32.
Only about 500 are still standing, according to the National Parks Conservation Association.
The city is seeking funding from other sources to help with a new life for the Hineshaw School. Arnold said they have submitted an application to the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation’s Places in Peril program. This year’s list of 10 Places in Peril included the Rosenwald School in Dixie.
From there, Arnold said, the city would start fund raising and grant writing for reconstruction of the old school, turning it into its intended future use.