Richland School District 1 will dismantle the partially-built structures at a now-abandoned early learning center site after the school board voted to disband the $31 million construction project earlier this year.
The project, a proposed early learning center slated for the Lower Richland community, had already been underway for several months when Richland County ordered the district to stop work in January 2024. With a foundation laid and walls raised, the site sat untouched for 14 months before the board took action to end it for good.
Board member Jamie Devine made the motion to work with the necessary authorities, including Richland County, project engineers and contractors, to “remove any built structure or improvements,” to maintain and improve stormwater retention and to leave the property in “a physical state that maximizes its potential use for future purposes.” The site’s poor stormwater retention has been central to two lawsuits filed against the district by Lower Richland homeowners…