Center School District

After much research, community input, and deliberation, the Center School District Board of Education made the difficult decision to demolish the former administrative building at 8701 Holmes Rd. The house, built in 1925 as a farmhouse on the Kellerstrass chicken farm, spent its first 40 years as a family residence for the owners of the property. When the school district purchased the land for a new high school in the late 1950s, an agreement was reached to allow the last family members to remain in the house until their passing. In 1965, the house was converted into an office building, which housed the district's administrative offices for 57 years. Due to flooding and other structural issues, the offices moved to their current location at 8434 Paseo Blvd as part of the Center Academy for Success building.

Since that decision was made, the district has explored a variety of ideas to reuse the house. Suggestions from the community included moving the Center Museum to the house, creating a learning lab for a Building Trades program, housing community services, or using the building as a community meeting space. Unfortunately, all of those uses would require significant modifications to meet current building codes and the cost simply outweighed the potential benefits.

Community members will have an opportunity to say "farewell" to the house at an event on May 22nd from 4pm to 7pm.The condition of the building does not allow us to have visitors inside, but we will have refreshments, old yearbooks to peruse, and opportunities for people to share their memories in writing or on video to be preserved in the Center Museum. No registration required, just show up and enjoy the memories!