Erwin Montessori Elementary School’s future uncertain

GREENSBORO, N.C. (WGHP) — The former Erwin Montessori Elementary School in Greensboro has been vacant for six years after it was severely damaged by a tornado in 2018.

The property, which is about nine acres off East Bessemer Avenue, was purchased by Guilford County from the school district for $100,000 in 2023, and discussions over what they should do with it have flip-flopped ever since.

A skating rink, a homeless shelter and a farmer’s market are just some of the ideas floated in the past.

The property has really been in limbo since about a year ago when plans to turn it into a homeless shelter were nixed after people in the community opposed it. Now, the community gets a chance to weigh in again.

“It’s an eyesore,” Earl Washington said.

Washington was among several East Bessemer Avenue neighbors who wanted to see the old school demolished as soon as possible.

“Best thing … is tear it down and come back with something the community will appreciate,” he said

The East Bessemer Avenue neighborhood near the school is home to about 2,600 people with a median income under $24,000 a year, and many people want to see the old campus replaced with something that brings in income.

“I do think the ideas and concepts the homeowners and business people have come up with will make a tremendous difference in terms of the life of the people who live in this area,” Imam Abdel Nuriddin said.

Nuriddin said he feels the school property, which encompasses nine acres in front of his mosque, should serve the community.

“We’re talking about business, educational programs … training programs,” Nuriddin said.

“I think the legacy needs to be continued for education. It would be a great site to put a career and technical school there that … our underprivileged children could attend for free to learn trade,” said Dr. Bobby Armstrong, who attended the hearing.

Guilford County now has the help of a new teammate: UNC-Chapel Hill’s School of Government Development Finance Initiative. Their job is to help analyze the site for what would work best there and attract private investors.

“I believe that more resources need to come back this way,” Armstrong said.

The project team told the group their goal is something transformative for the nine acres.

“Any of those things are better than what’s there now,” Washington said.

A survey will go live on the Guilford County website for people to share what they’d like to see at the site, which will end on Oct. 18. The existing building will be demolished by next spring.

There are also two additional hearings.

An in-person public input session will be held Thursday at 9:00 a.m. at the McGirt-Horton Branch Library at 2501 Phillips Ave. in Greensboro.

A virtual public input session will be held Saturday at 10:00 a.m. via Zoom

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