Topic: Middletown City Schools Rebuilding Program

[preservationrestoration]

Board buys 19.7 acres, could be site of new MHS
Land could be future site for Middletown H.S.
By Carrie Whitaker, Middletown Journal

A plot of land near Lefferson Park eventually could sit within the footprint for a new Middletown High School, district officials said, after the Middletown Board of Education voted Tuesday to approve purchase of the land.

Contact Carrie Whitaker at (513) 705-2845, or e-mail her at cwhitaker@coxohio.com.

www.middletownjournal.com

[ink]

I threw this list together for my own clarity.

FIRST SCHOOLS

1871 – South
   -closed 1951, used by Fenwick for several years
   -burnt and DEMOLISHED 1965

1885 – Central/East/Fourth St.
   -replaced 1959
   -DEMOLISHED 1965

1891 – North
   -closed 1951
   -DEMOLISHED

HISTORIC SCHOOLS

1904 – Sherman/Sherman E&W
   -1981 Restructuring – closed
   -DEMOLISHED

1908 – first Middletown High School/Roosevelt   
             -became 8th grade Roosevelt in 1923
   -closed 1930
   -Middletown City building 1931 to 1976
   -burnt and DEMOLISHED 1984
                (SUBSTANCIAL HISTORIC LOSS)

1912 – Blue Ball
   -closed 1969
   -DEMOLISED

1912 – Maple Park
   -closed 1974 and abandoned
   -DEMOLISHED 2003

1912 – Jefferson/Charles St.
   -closed 1999
   -DEMOLISED 2003
                (SUBSTANCIAL HISTORIC LOSS)

1917 –Young St./Edison E&W
   -closed 1957
   -DEMOLISED

1920’s – Amanda
   -original section dated from 1873
   -1981 Restructuring – closed and abandoned
   -DEMOLISHED 2003

1923 – Vail Middle/former Middletown High School
   -amazing monumental structure
   -1300 seat auditorium
   -1969 Restructuring – became freshman school
   -1981 Restructuring – became middle school
   -to be DEMOLISHED contingent on bond levy passing
                (SUBSTANCIAL HISTORIC LOSS)

1923 – Lincoln
   -1981 Restructuring – closed and sold
   -still stands and is occupied, although slightly altered
   -will be only old school left if planned demolitions happen
                (SUBSTANCIAL REUSE SUCCESS!)

1927 – Garfield
   -classic brick
   -first elementary in state to have its own gym
   -1981 Restructuring – closed
   -repurchased in 1990 and used as alternative school
   -DEMOLISED 2006
                (SUBSTANCIAL HISTORIC LOSS)

1930 – Roosevelt
   -classic brick with elaborate detailing
   -600 seat auditorium
   -opened as jr. high, pair to McKinley
   -1969 Restructuring – became middle school
   -1981 Restructuring – became elementary
   -closed 2005, temporary space for Wildwood Elm.
   -to be DEMOLISED 2008
               (SUBSTANCIAL HISTORIC LOSS)

1930 – McKinley
   -classic brick with elaborate detailing
   -Tiffany chandeliers
   -600 seat auditorium
   -opened as jr. high, pair to Roosevelt
   -1969 Restructuring – became middle school
   -1981 Restructuring – became elementary
   -closed 2004
   -DEMOLISED 2004
                (SUBSTANCIAL HISTORIC LOSS)


1939 – Mayfield
   -a WPA project
   -classic brick with cupola
   -DEMOLISHED 2006
                (SUBSTANCIAL HISTORIC LOSS)

POST-WAR SCHOOLS

1951 – Taft
   -closed 2006
   -DEMOLISHED July 2008

1951 – Wilson
   -closed 2004
   -DEMOLISHED 2004

1953 – Oneida
   -closed 2002
   -DEMOLISHED 2003   

1955 – Spring Hill
   -1981 Restructuring – closed and sold
   -stands and used by church

1959 – Central
   -Current Plan - relocate Central Academy to Rosedale; maintain for Hear Start

1959 – Wildwood
   -closed 2006
   -DEMOLISHED 2006

1960 – Creekview
   -closed 2006
   -DEMOLISHED July 2008

1960 – Amanda Jr. High
   -1969 Restructuring – became middle school
   -1981 Restructuring – became elementary
   -renovated 2006
   -Current Plan – continue use

1960 – Manchester Jr. High
   -1969 Restructuring – became middle school
   -currently used for adult education, technical programs, etc.   

1966 – Rosedale
   -Current Plan – convert for Central Academy

1968 – Verity Middle
   -Current Plan – to close
   -to be DEMOLISHED contingent of 2008 bond levy passing
   
1969 – Middletown High School
   -1969 Restructuring – opened
   -Current Plan – to be converted to combined middle school

NEW CENTURY SCHOOLS

-2006 – Highview
   -old Wilson site

-2006 – Rosa Parks
   -old McKinley site

-2006 – Creekview
   -aside old Creekview

-2008 – Mayfield
   -old Mayfield site

-2008 – Miller Ridge
   -new site

-2008 – Wildwood
   -old Wildwood site

-2012 – new Middletown High School
   -old Verity site
   -contingent on bond levy passing

[preservationrestoration]

Looks like you have most of it covered.  Just a few additions and corrects.   

Booker T. Washington.  Located on South Main between 17 and 18th Streets.   Built 1918.  All black.  School became Edison School in 1955 (different than Edison E&W)  Torn down 1971.

Columbia School was located on Marshall Road.  Built 1840.  Closed in 1912 when Maple Park was built. 
http://www.middletownlibrary.org:8080/cgi-bin/viewer.exe?CISOROOT=/Crout&CISOPTR=703&CISOMODE=grid

Nice job.  You have to give Middletown schools some credit though.  With the problems they had with Maple Park and Amanda being sold to private developers, and the sitting empty and rotting beyond repair and becoming blight in their respective neighborhoods, Middletown didn't want to have the same thing happen during this project since so many residents complained about both Maple Park and Amanda.  Plus, the folks around McKinley wanted the school on the same exact site. 

I'm still not convinced Roosevelt and Vail will come down.  To the schools built in the 1950s...I say good ridance

[preservationrestoration]

Oh BlueBall....

Blue Ball School.  Built in 1873.  Used until 1930.  Newer school built in 1912.  Discontinued in 1968.

[ink]

Taft and Creekview Schools are being demolished as we speak. The fact that Roosevelt is not currently coming down as well is a good indication that efforts to save the building are at least delaying demolition.

Creekview Elementary




The Ohio flag is ironic


New Creekview


Taft Elementary








New Taft/McKinley - Rosa Parks


New Mayfield (my favorite of the 6 new buildings)


New Wilson - Highview (my least favorite after Miller Ridge)

[mrnyc]

"new century schools?" that's a good name for them!

[preservationrestoration]

Even though I attended the now-demolished Creekview and have very fond memories there, I am not sad to see the 50-style buildings go.

But I agree with you, the new Mayfield is the best of the new schools.  I don't mind the new Creekview (even if it is a little boring) or the new new Highview.  Taft/McKinley looks odd with that old entrance way from the historic school.  I just doesn't match the style very well.  It's more of a colonial building with a english tudor front. 

Let's hope Vail is somehow saved

[CincyDad]

Even though I attended the now-demolished Creekview and have very fond memories there, I am not sad to see the 50-style buildings go.


same here.  and my son attended one year there as well.


and my (still) best friend's famly house backs right up to the school directly, and has for 40+ years. the chain fence seperated their house from the paved play area in the back of the school. maybe 30' from the building itself.  he went home for lunch everyday.

[preservationrestoration]

I grew up in that neighborhoods as well.  Played in the creek that ran next to Creekview.  Was mad when they covered a portion of it to build the new school. 

I think Hamilton has done a better job with designs for their new elementary schools.  While the floor plans are pretty much the same, their is more variety to the exteriors than what you find in Middletown.