Firm gathers community input on Ligon Magnet Middle School renovation

A group of more than 60 people showed up to give their input during a community meeting.
Posted 5/16/2025, 2:54:00 AM Updated 5/16/2025, 12:58:09 PM

HURT. THEY ARE ON

ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE AS THE

INVESTIGATION CONTINUES.

WHAT'S NEXT FOR LINCOLN MIDDLE

SCHOOL? THAT'S THE QUESTION ON

THE TABLE FOR RALEIGH'S.

HISTORICALLY BLACK SCHOOL.

>> THAT HAS BEEN MARKED FOR

REDEVELOPMENT TONIGHT. A GROUP

OF 60 PEOPLE SHOWED UP TO GIVE

THEIR INPUT DURING A COMMUNITY

MEETING. WRAL'S CARLY HAYNES IS

JOINING US NOW LIVE OUTSIDE

THAT SCHOOL. CARLY, THIS IS

THE FIRST STEP IN THE PROCESS.

AND THE FIRST TIME THAT PEOPLE

GOT TO MEET THE ARCHITECTURAL

FIRM.

>> CHOSEN SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS

PROJECT AND NO DESIGNS HAVE

BEEN PUT FORWARD YET. IT'S ALSO

NOT CLEAR IF THIS REDEVELOPMENT

IS GOING TO REQUIRE REBUILDING.

>> IF THESE WALLS COULD TALK,

THEY'D SHARE STORIES OF 7

DECADES OF STUDENTS.

>> AND NOW WE'RE HEARING THAT.

IT MAY BE TORN DOWN.

TO US. THAT'S DEVASTATING TO ME

BECAUSE IT IS IT IS YOUR TIME

TONIGHT.

>> THIS ROOM MADE UP OF LINCOLN

MIDDLE SCHOOL PARENTS, ALUMNI

AND NEIGHBORS PASSIONATE ABOUT

PRESERVATION. FACED WITH

RENOVATION ONE DAY AND MAY HAVE

A GREAT, GREAT GRANDCHILD.

I WOULDN'T IMPEDE SAY THAT'S

WHERE I WENT TO SCHOOL. DOROTHY

THOMPSON, CLASS OF 1964.

BACK WHEN LIGON WAS AN

ALL-BLACK HIGH SCHOOL. THIS

PLACE NICE TO STAY AND SNAKE

AND TO REFUSE THE HISTORY OF

THIS COUNTRY. WE LIVE IN.

WE NEED TO AND KEY IS TO KNOW

THAT REASON BEGIN THIS YEAR

BECAUSE OF SEGREGATION. WAKE

COUNTY HAS MARKED THE SCHOOL

FOR RENOVATION. PART OF A

SEVEN-YEAR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT

PLAN IN 2022. AND ARCHITECTURAL

FIRM IS NOW TASKED WITH

MODERNIZING IT. WELL, HONORING

THE HISTORY IT HOLDS AND WE

HAVE ENOUGH BATHROOMS. WE ALL I

THINK A BIG THING IS 5 O'CLOCK.

YOU CAN RENOVATE.

>> THIS PLACE YOU CAN MAKE IT

BETTER. YOU CAN BRING IT UP

TO 2025. WITHOUT ERASING ANY

OF THE HISTORY BECAUSE WE DON'T

DO THAT. AND OTHER HISTORICAL

PLACES.

>> A CHANCE FOR PEOPLE OF THIS

SCHOOL'S PAST TO DECIDE ITS

FUTURE.

>> AND ONCE AGAIN, NO PLANS

PUT FORWARD AS OF YET ANY

DECISION TO REBUILD WOULD BE TO

GO THROUGH THE SCHOOL BOARD.