The Seminole County Commission is poised to move forward today on a plan to transform a vacant Rosenwald School property east of Altamonte Springs into affordable housing and a center that meets community needs.
The historically Black Rosenwald School closed in 2011. Seminole County bought the property eight years later.
The county's consultant, Renaissance Planning, recommends a "hybrid" approach keeping three of the existing nine buildings, adding senior housing and building a community center.
Renaissance Planning is set to present its recommendations to the County Commission today.
The consultant found that community members want a campus with a wellness facility, job and educational training, a museum, and a center for community events.
East Altamonte Community Association President Irvin Simpson Sr. says the community needs this.
"There could be a small youth center," he says. "There could be a civic center, somewhere that we don't have to go outside of East Altamonte and we could have our own little bitty community center, resource center, right there, you know, walking distance away from the furthest point of East Altamonte."
Simpson is frustrated, though, that county isn't moving faster.
