LR meetings to look at school reuse plans

The Little Rock School District has scheduled times next week for the organizations or individuals interested in acquiring the soon-to-be vacant Franklin and Woodruff schools to present their building-use plans to the public.

The presentations regarding the use of what is now the Woodruff Early Childhood Center will be at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Woodruff, 3010 W. Seventh Street.

The presentations regarding the use of what is now Franklin Elementary, 1701 S. Harrison St., also will begin at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the school.

Doors open at 5:30 p.m. at both sites.

The Little Rock district earlier this year requested proposals for use of Franklin and Woodruff schools after Superintendent Mike Poore recommended that a total of three schools be closed and a fourth be repurposed for the coming school year as a way to cut district operating expenses.

Six organizations or individuals submitted proposals for the buildings that will be vacated by the Little Rock School District beginning with the 2017-18 school year.

Two separate proposals call for converting Woodruff Early Childhood Education Center into a mixed-use complex of apartments with features such as community meeting rooms, a neighborhood swimming pool or a daycare center.

As for Franklin Elementary, one proposal calls for it to be the new home to the Watershed Human and Community Development Agency, which has long provided food and other assistance to those in need from its 3701 Springer Blvd. address on the city’s east side.

Other proposals for Franklin would use it to house a community health center or make it a hub for community involvement and sustainability initiatives in health, the environment and the economy.

Anika Whitfield — a leader of the opposition to the Little Rock district’s plans to shutter the two campuses — submitted proposals for both schools, calling for the Little Rock district to continue to operate Woodruff and Franklin as elementary schools.

The format for the public meetings includes opening remarks by Poore, followed by 15 presentations of up to 15 minutes for each plan. Those presentations are to include plans for ownership of the sites, the use of the property, the benefits to the local community, the timeline for plan implementation and anticipated compensation for the property.

After all the presentations, there will be time for questions and answers.