Chesterfield Elementary School to be fully demolished by Sept. 18

Where Chesterfield Elementary once stood is now a field of partially fallen walls, broken windows, and rubble as D. H. Griffin Wrecking Co., Inc. works to demolish the old brick building.

After months of debate, the Burke County Public Schools (BCPS) Board of Education approved the demolition in a 5-2 vote at its June 22 meeting. Board members Sonya Rockett and Reid Beck dissented.

D. H. Griffin began work on Aug. 10 and is on track to finish by Sept. 18, said BCPS Director of Auxiliary Services Bob Acord.

BACKGROUND

Chesterfield Elementary has been empty save for storage since 2018. Former Superintendent Larry Putnam recommended transferring students to Mountain View Elementary School due to the high cost of upkeep on the nearly century-old building.

There was outcry among Chesterfield community residents and former students of the elementary school when the board voted to demolish it.

Kelly Michaels, who attended Chesterfield Elementary as a child, spearheaded a community coalition seeking a 90-day pause to the demolition contract. Within that timeframe, Michaels said the group would pursue funding to purchase the site from the school district and turn it into a community center.

The school board discussed the possibility of delaying demolition at the Aug. 3 meeting. This failed in a split vote. Rockett, Beck, and Brad Camp were the only board members to vote in favor of pausing the demolition.

Part of the push to demolish the building stems from long-term financial concerns. Financial Officer Keith Lawson said if a charter or private school purchased the building, BCPS would lose up to $3.5 million in state funding over a five-year period.