After years of planning, Hanover County consolidated John M. Gandy and Henry Clay elementary schools into Ashland Elementary School, which opened in a newly-constructed building in August.
The former Gandy Elementary building has since been nearly fully demolished, and the county is now exploring potential uses for the Henry Clay property at 310 S. James St. — which the school division transferred to the county in October.
Hanover’s board of supervisors is seeking public input on what to do with the 10.5-acre property, which includes the school, the gym, multiple outbuildings and ball fields.
A 2018 study presented to the school board identified Henry Clay as one of several school buildings that needed to be renovated. The study found that the oldest portions of the campus were approaching the end of their lifespan and estimated a $22 million cost to repair or replace them.
Deputy County Administrator Todd Kilduff told VPM News earlier this month that the bill could be significantly higher: “In 2024 I would say that dollar amount has probably doubled, potentially even tripled.”
At supervisors’ Nov. 13 meeting, Ashland Supervisor Faye Prichard said the fate of the Henry Clay property has been a hot topic.
“I do get a call at least once every single day with either a question about what's going to happen to the building,” Prichard told the board. “I just want to assure people we're not taking it lightly.”
In the meantime, Hanover’s general services department has taken over the building's operations to maintain it until new plans are in place. The Civil Air Patrol, Boy Scouts of America and American Legion have all been using the facility but are being relocated, Kilduff said.
“The building does have challenges,” County Manager John Budesky told the board in November. “We are not entertaining additional users in the facility right now. In the winter [and] into the spring time frame, hopefully we’ll have some recommendations for the board on how to move forward with the facility.”
Prichard said she hopes the county will engage with the community to choose a new path for Henry Clay like it did for the new Montpelier Recreation Center and Library, which opened in October. That process started with a survey open to residents of the county and the Town of Ashland.
“There's so much potential and so many possibilities, but we want to hear what citizens want, and we want it to be a productive part of the community and add to the community again,” Prichard said. “I look forward to a process that lets us really give that part of my district, and the Town of Ashland, something really special.”
Hanover is hosting public interest meetings at the Henry Clay gym 5–7 p.m. Jan. 21 and Feb. 5. County staff will present feedback gathered from those meetings and the online survey and present findings to the board of supervisors.
