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The Old Cove Creek High School building is a WPA-era
rock structure that is a treasured landmark in the rural Cove Creek
community. The school closed in 1995 and CCP&D was incorporated in
1996 and granted a 501(c)3, with the goal of preservation and
utilization of the 28,000 sq. ft. Old Cove Creek High School building
and the adjacent 3,640 sq. ft. brick structure for community service.
The building was listed
on the National Register of Historic Places on 6/18/98. A
structural evaluation (completed
8/98) determined that the building was basically sound, but was
deteriorating internally from expansion and contraction of the
interior structure due to temperature extremes from no heat in the
building, and from moisture damage resulting from leaking plumbing and
improper drainage.
The
Watauga County Commissioners leased the building to CCP&D for 25 years
(for $1/year).
The Appalachian Regional Commission (USDA) for economic
development granted CCP&D matching funding ($199,250) in 2000 to
install a geothermal HVAC. The Janirve Foundation provided a $75,000
matching grant. Skyline Telephone loaned $60,000 and the Watauga
County Commissioners loaned $225,000 for 5 years at no interest to
enable the restoration process to continue in a timely manner.
Matching funds were raised via the annual Doc Watson MusicFest which
began in 1998. In 2005, the event name was changed to MusicFest
'n Sugar Grove. For financial information about CCP&D, click
here.
CCP&D worked with the community and numerous public and
private agencies to evolve a vision for the building. Job creation in
the remaining available space would produce rental income to make
non-revenue producing community projects possible.
Jung Tao School of Chinese Medicine,
a long-term tenant of CCP&D (since 1999), moved to the second floor in
2003, opening the first floor former media center for the
Sugar Grove
Developmental Day School which opened 6/1/04. When the outstanding loan (Watauga County)
has been
repaid, the community room renovation project can proceed. |
