The Bel Alton High School Alumni Association Community Development Corporation (Bel Alton CDC) is renovating its former African-American high school in the impoverished neighborhood of Bel Alton, Maryland — a rural area approximately 40 miles south of Washington, DC. The school was in existence from 1938 until the integration of Charles County's schools in 1965.
There were five high schools in Charles County, Maryland prior to integration: three (3) white schools and two (2) black schools. The other black school was partially destroyed by fire. This is the only high school in Charles County, Maryland that has been mostly idle since integration. It was scheduled to be burned down by the County due to its deteriorated condition, but the Alumni Association intervened and proposed to preserve its heritage and put the building to use to benefit the entire community.
The property was leased to the Bel Alton High School Alumni Association, Incorporated (now Bel Alton CDC) on September 6, 1994 for a fee of $1.00 a year for an initial term of 20 years with three 5-year options to renew the lease. The property fronts on Highway US 301, a major interstate route, on 12.67 acres of land, and consists of 35,200 square feet of space. The school consists of two structures: the main school building of 18,800 square feet, and an adjacent gymnasium and industrial arts shop consisting of 16,400 square feet. The school is under the auspices of the Bel Alton CDC and was initially assessed at around $387,000.
The school will be returned to use as a Community Development Center, serving a target population of low-income residents in the southern end of Charles County, Maryland. It has taken us over 12 years to raise the funds to restore this building. Since the onset of renovation, the property has greatly appreciated. The term of the lease has been extended from 20 to 30 years. The main school building under construction has been appraised as having an as-constructed value of $3,000,000.
The Center, when developed, will house small businesses and programs including, a Day Care Center, Head Start Program, Adult Education, information technology training, youth mentoring, and a cafeteria. The project will give significant stimulus to an underserved target population in need of programs that promote jobs, self-help and self-sufficiency. The Community Development Center is expected to create 60 jobs, 51 of which will be for low-income individuals.
The renovation of the facility is approximately 90% complete and will hold a grand opening on Sunday, July 27, 2008.