An old Rockmart school building long ago bought by the Northwest Georgia Housing Authority is still looking for a new lease on life.

Not before a lot of money and a lot of work is needed to complete a renovation project.

Officials on Tuesday evening came to the Polk County Commission to talk about the need for some dollars needed to contribute to renovations for the gymnasium at the old Elm Street School at the very beginning of Morgan Valley Road, and hope the former house of learning can continue to provide for local families to gather and still use the property for the community’s betterment.

Hannah Phillips and Howard Gibson came before the Polk County Commission during the February work session asking for a fairly large sum of money to help renovate the old gym at the Elm Street School as part of the overall project for new housing in the City of Rockmart.

This long-term project has been underway for several years, but 9% tax credits from the Department of Community Affairs and federal grants are starting to come together for more than $16 million in renovations and new construction of duplexes and townhomes. Included in the funding is $780,000 in grant money the Housing Authority was earmarked to receive in 2020 for both Euharlee Elementary and the Elm Street School projects.

As a building on the National Register of Historic Places, the Euharlee School project will go through a different kind of transformation that will require some of the remnants of its former use to stick around, like chalkboards on in classroom walls in the 12 units being transformed within the old buildings.

Not much more than a stone’s throw away, dozens of old classrooms are set to be demolished and new housing built in their place where once upon a time sat Polk County students to learn at the old Elm Street School. But the gym seemed worthy of saving, according to officials.

The Housing Authority wants to save the gym and turn it into a mixed-use community center and for the Boys and Girls Club of Northwest Georgia to bring a location to Rockmart.

The Housing Authority asked the County Commission for $695,000 to renovate the gym and a wing, and to put in a parking area.

“This is an unusual situation, the building has been vacant for so long. But the main structure is in good shape,” said Gibson. “Surprisingly enough, the gym floor is still intact. It definitely needs cleaning. There has been a lot vandalism… We do want to save the gymnasium and one wing.”

Their goal is to allow the entire property to be a mixed-use facility in residents who end up living at the old Elm Street School, but for everyone else in the county as well. The gym and a wing would allow for the Boys and Girls Club to bring a location, but the goal is to also save the old stage and areas in the back.

Part of the reason the cost will be higher is the need for having to bring in new heating and air, and electrical wiring since vandalism and theft have caused damage in the school.

The increases in costs for materials and construction has pushed the project behind as well as the NWGAHA continues to work on finding funding to fill in gaps caused by overruns.

The gym was part of the plan originally for the entire building project at Elm Street School, but then another ideal solution came into focus for the gymnasium to turn into a Boys and Girls Club location, with the county’s funding help for the renovations.

“(With) such a good bones in the existing structure, we would want to open it to the community and the residents of Polk County,” Phillips said. “That’s why we removed it from the scope of work for the overall project.”

The county made no promises during the presentation by the Housing Authority, but Commission Chair Hal Floyd did say the Finance Committee would discuss the request.

“It’s a beautiful gym, and it needs to be preserved for sure,” Commissioner Scotty Tillery also noted. “Plus a Boys and Girls Club is needed in every community, so it would be a great addition to Rockmart to have a Boys and Girls Club.”

The Housing Authority has owned both properties for several years and though plans have been underway bring additional low-income housing options to the eastern side of Polk County, the two schools have thus far remained untouched.