Hard part is raising the money to do it. St. Aug. simply doesn’t have alums with any real financial ability to find it. Outside money isn’t going to come without a real “say” in what the building is used for.
Similar issue arose @ Shaw. They have “1 guy” who went there and ended up becoming a lawyer in Florida I believe…he gave them some money but they mismanaged it so much he walked away. There was some “outside money” being offered at one point but Shaw wanted to take the funds and not have to listen to what the donors wanted…not how it works.
This unfortunately is what the private HBCUs deal with…outside money is what they need but they don’t want to be told what to do with the donations…so they don’t get any donations. Their alumni base doesn’t have enough financial clout to make a dent in solving their problems.
Unfortunately, not the best outcome for any restoration or preservation .
“Previous assessments have concluded that the hospital cannot be rebuilt as it was, Creech said. But rather than tear down the ruins, the university is interesting in findings ways to build around them.”
“We will not be able to rebuild the hospital in its former glory, but we’ll honor it by weaving it into whatever we imagine next,” Creech said."
This study is based on a $400k grant by the U.S Economic Development Administration (paid for through the American Rescue Plan introduced by Joe Biden’s administration). St. Aug’s asked around for ideas earlier this year through a formal Request for Proposals, and it sounds like they’re planning to pick the best application and have the consultant behind it to develop it further.
The actual development will happen down the line. I think their conservative approach makes sense because the school’s cash-strapped.
The school will always be “cash strapped” unless they dramatically change their business model to focus on not just afam students which requires a dramatic change in leadership….or they have to hope for a rich alum donation….which they do not have.
The federal government can’t be the lifeline for this institution…it has to be self sustainable…which it can barely do.
Yeah but we can find ways to give billions upon billions to other countries. Could rebuild the entire damn campus as state of the art with a fraction of the money flushed down the toilet every year. It’s just not a big enough priority is all. Such an opportunity to help our people, what a farce.
The asset is the students. These kids are paying the fees, sometimes it’s not managed perfectly but it’s not the kids fault. I worked here and my favorite part was watching students really put forth effort and watching them succeed. You don’t see that from the outside. Could have squeezed out a lot more cash from the money pooped away on PPP and COVID BS, this school is an asset to Raleigh if the US, State and and National govt would put forth more effort along with its staff and faculty. The parents pay big bucks and sacrifice a lot to send these students here. 400 k is a fart in the wind when we are spending trillions we can and will never pay for, mine as well throw Falcons a bigger bone. It did not go under because they have been funded by the last admin with automatic dollars without having to go beg for it every damn year. Pathetic how Shaw an ST Aug’s is treated.
I agree, and I don’t think that’s what they’re doing to begin with. Grants are one-time cash injections where the recipient’s contractually bound to use them for what they’re intended for. They are not regularly scheduled blank checks without any ends or objectives.
And is that not the implied goal of the outcome of this study? If the school finds the best market opportunity, that gives them the option to lease the land to a developer, have them turn the old hospital site become attractive real estate, and produce steady income -additional revenue that may feed into unrestricted funds to benefit the university. That seems like the most logical thing to do here, anyways.
Well the federal government is the lifeline for public companies such as the airlines, rental cars, hotels, and so on and so forth, many times over. It’s just taxpayer money we waste anyway. Why not bail out this school. Honestly, I think if the school could have its campus redone with help from public private funding it could attract more students that can pay. When I was at the school our tennis court for the tennis team didn’t exist. It burned up somehow. Letting it fail so we can grab up the land is not a good idea. The school could be turned around really easy with the right plan and some help. If the school can be supported better the community will be benefit. It’s worth it. Or maybe we just give American Airlines another 5.8 billion from that same cares act the 400k came from for an airline that didn’t fly for a year. This is done over and over, I think we can get a better ROI on modernizing Shaw and Aug. We all know that the mass transit here will not be self sustaining but accept it anyway. These schools should be just as good as State. The academic and sports facilities are horrible, if they were better they would garner more money from students and supporters. It could become the jewel of Oakwood. I always go back to my experience with the students and parents. If you experience them you can’t help but root for these beautiful Americans. Raleigh can win!
I agree and I think we could (and must!!!) do that.
But I can think of some reasons that won't be easy (click me).
Because too many of us Americans think it’s B L A S P H E M Y whenever Big Government touches the free market even if that would keep people fed and solvent, so it becomes politically toxic to help struggling entities that could be an asset to its community.
Because too often, we think that schools, businesses etc. are worth their while only if our budgets can break even (or at least not cost them more of their paycheck) -even if it could bring about more benefits beyond some dollar value.
Because influential thinkers across the political spectrum (e.g. Republican-liking think tanks like the American Enterprise Institute, or Democrat appointees like Treasury secretary Larry Summers) have been cult believers in neoliberalism since the 80s -and have been discrediting ideas that could really make things better.
Because we voted for leaders who made that idea so popular that we, by default, became too selfish to sacrifice some of their convenience for the greater good -but the field of economics is so full of gatekeepers that most of us don’t have the ways or means to argue against it and rally behind a better vision.
TL/DR: It involves changing a lot about the status quo, and that starts with us. We have to put in the work, overturn modern neoliberalism, and be a part of replacing it with something better without things falling apart on the way. You ready for that?
From the wire looks like theres a bunch of 30 and 40 floor rezonings that Shaw will be applying for. Havent dived into the historical relevance of some of the properties, as they will give up their historical designation but seems like a move in the positive direction. Shaw can sell and get cash while increasing density/commodities to make their campus more appealing to applicants.
This thread is like 50 percent constructive comments and 50 percent you spewing hostility toward Raleigh’s only two historically black colleges and universities.
Do you hate NC State, Meredith College and/or William Peace University this much, or just our HBCUs?
Thank you David Donovan folks like you give me hope in this bias world, I knew, I wasn’t the only noticing this Pattern with UncleJesse🤬but anyway the fact that shaw invested in property in and around Downtown when it wasn’t hot does show they have some Business sense.
B