BEDFORD CO., Va. – A Montvale elementary school that has sat empty since the late 1990s could soon become a neighborhood gathering place — if a local nonprofit can raise the millions needed to make it happen.
The Montvale School Preservation Foundation is working to convert the former Montvale Elementary School into a community hub featuring retail space, basic health services, a community kitchen, classes and space for small businesses. The project is gaining momentum, but organizers say about $5 million is still needed to complete the work.
A personal mission
For Thomas Bolick, the effort is deeply personal. A Montvale Elementary alumnus who attended the school’s final class, Bolick said preserving the building means preserving a piece of himself.
“I feel honored to have the foundation to try to preserve it because it’s been a part of me,” Bolick said.
Funding slowly takes shape
Roni Sutton, president of the Montvale School Preservation Foundation, said early grant funding is already being put to work — starting with assessing the building’s condition…