Halifax Lofts – Modern Living/Historic School
There is a community meeting on Thursday, January 14th, 2016 at 5:30 pm at the Halifax Town Hall located at 70 S. Main Street. Come and meet the would-be Developer. Bring your ideas, concerns, questions, thoughts, and suggestions – all are welcome!
Halifax Lofts is the PROPOSED redevelopment of the historic Halifax School located at 722 Mountain Rd, Halifax, Virginia 24558. The Developer has made an unsolicited proposal to the Halifax County Board of Supervisors to purchase and redevelop the site into market-rate luxury apartment homes. The issue should be up for their approval or denial in early February 2016.
The website http://halifaxlofts.com/ has been created solely to inform interested parties about the proposed redevelopment project.
The Developer Echelon Resources Inc. (ECHELON) is a real estate development firm that manages projects to successful completion by:
Conducting site due diligence and structuring business terms.
Recruiting debt and equity sources to ensure optimal financing.
Managing the capital investment process to achieve project objectives.
Coordinating applicable public/private partnerships and incentives.
Directing pre-development, construction, and income-related activities.
ECHELON project success starts with a team of seasoned project executives and experienced capital investors. All projects are completed under the guidelines of the Virginia Department of Historic Resources (or other applicable SHPO) and the National Park Service.
ECHELON projects have won numerous awards and have contributed not only to their respective local economies and business communities but also restored community historic treasures.
ECHELON seeks projects that have the potential for financial success and also create a positive impact on the surrounding community. To this end, we evaluate numerous project candidates each year. We welcome any ideas or leads from community stakeholders.
What is this would-be Developer proposing to do? Currently, the site is a challenged property. The school structure is vacant, deteriorating (though well-maintained), extremely inefficient from a space perspective, somewhat disconnected from the downtown, and surrounded by single-family homes. Yet it has potential, the façade is appealing, and its historic place in Halifax history should not be discounted. The proposal is to purchase the site and redevelop the structure/grounds into market-rate rental housing. The renovated rental units would be 1- and 2- bedroom “loft-style” residences, with the targeted renter being the young professional and regional retiree. Significant historic constraints will limit the number of units but 25-35 apartments is likely the maximum. The parking and grounds will be revamped as part of the project. The historic features of the School will be preserved and highlighted in this comprehensive renovation. This project proposes to fully leverage federal and state historic rehabilitation tax credits, so this proposal is contingent upon approval of all redevelopment plans by both the Virginia Department of Historic Resources and the federal National Park Service. The Developer believes this approach will save the School from its current derelict state, and facilitate its transformation. Once redeveloped, the Town and County will enjoy new taxes and the community will benefit from new residents and a renewed relevance of the redeveloped School for future generations.
Do you have any old photos of the school you would like to share? Please email them – along with your questions, stories, memories, etc. – to halifaxlofts@gmail.com. Please feel free to contact the Developer with any ideas, comments, or concerns (we accept compliments too!). Please follow Halifax Lofts on Facebook or just give us a call at 434-830-1580! Be sure to check out the website: http://halifaxlofts.com/