Former Julienne High School to be demolished

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Dayton Public Schools plans to start demolishing the former Julienne High School on March 5 despite a final push by some community members to try to save the historic building.

Six members met this week with school board President Ronald Lee to request a six-month delay of the demolition of the school and convent to find possible funding for renovation and determine the most constructive use.

Group member Gail Horvath, a 1957 Julienne graduate who taught there from 1966 to 1973, said they were given no reason to remain hopeful despite another meeting being scheduled for Monday between three coalition members, Lee and the district superintendent.

Horvath, editor of a 64-page softcover book called “Our Dear Old Julienne,” said they have suggested using the property for possible transitional housing for Dayton’s homeless, a job training facility, a community center or arts center.

“The buildings are classic and they’re still in great shape,” she said. “Our feeling is, given there are so many needs out there, there are so many uses these buildings could be adapted to.”

Dayton Public spokeswoman Jill Moberley said asbestos removal is nearly complete on Julienne and the district plans to move ahead with demolition after recently celebrating the dedication of its 26th and final new school in its $627 million construction program.

In 2002, when the district passed a $245 million bond issue to build the new schools, “we made a promise to the community that at the conclusion of our construction project we would leave no eyesores or hazards in the neighborhoods,” Moberley said Friday.

“A vacant building can attract some undesirable elements to a neighborhood that can create health and safety issues,” he added.

The district never intended to renovate Julienne, which was used as swing space while work was done on Stivers School for the Arts.

Julienne has remained empty since 2007. The district held several community meetings to consider possible uses for the former school, which was offered for sale.

“We heard proposals from groups who were interested in renovating the building,” she said, “but nobody stepped forward to purchase the building so we had to move forward with our plans.”

Through the Ohio School Facilities Commission, the state is covering 61 percent of the cost of the district’s construction effort and will cover that much of the demolition costs, including $579,600 on the Julienne demolition, Moberely said.

Horvath said the school stood as an impressive “citadel on the hill” educating Dayton students from 1926 until 2007 and she doesn’t want to see it or its neoclassical architecture lost to a wrecking ball.

She believes saving the old Julienne complex would give Dayton something to be proud of.

“We would be joining other progressive cities across the nation that are realizing the wisdom in preserving and putting architecturally significant, structurally sound and aesthetically pleasing buildings to productive community use,” she said.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2094 or mkissell@DaytonDailyNews.com.