City staff and consultants presented concept plans to convert the former White Rock Elementary School into a community hub focused on childcare, education, food and entrepreneurship.

The council was reminded that city council appropriated $3.5 million for the project in January 2024 and that the 1912 building is roughly 14,000 square feet. Project leads said they will seek historic and low‑income tax credits and expect the tax‑credit process to drive the project schedule.

"We anticipate looking at going through the process to access both state and federal tax credits, and we estimate there's probably upwards of a million dollars or more in additional funding that we'll have access to through that tax credit process," the project lead said, describing a phased approach to bidding so partial building work can proceed as funding allows.

Design plans call for an internal elevator (required by tax‑credit guidelines) to achieve ADA compliance, flexible community and workspaces, a commercial kitchen for food and nutrition programming, and nonprofit or satellite tenant space. Staff emphasized extensive community engagement (a kickoff event in Sept. 2024, pitch day, tours and final concept presentations in May 2025) and said community priorities included childcare, fresh food access and a public‑safety presence such as a small police substation.

Staff said they expect construction documents to be developed while the tax‑credit process is underway and estimated partial public use might begin in late 2027 to early 2028, depending on funding and phasing.

Council members asked about which agencies issue historic credits; staff named state historic resources departments and noted the National Park Service is involved in federal historic tax credits. Dominion 7 was listed as the design consultant and Commonwealth Preservation Group as historic tax‑credit specialists.