Former home economics building undergoing renovation

WESTSIDE EAGLE OBSERVER/Susan Holland David Hickey, Harold Jobe and Lee Jobe, of Pro Concrete Works in Sulphur Springs, prepare to remove the forms from a new concrete ramp poured Wednesday, April 11, on the east side of the former Gravette schools home economics building. The city has received a grant from the State of Arkansas to renovate the building for use as a community center.
WESTSIDE EAGLE OBSERVER/Susan Holland David Hickey, Harold Jobe and Lee Jobe, of Pro Concrete Works in Sulphur Springs, prepare to remove the forms from a new concrete ramp poured Wednesday, April 11, on the east side of the former Gravette schools home economics building. The city has received a grant from the State of Arkansas to renovate the building for use as a community center.

GRAVETTE -- The building once used by the Gravette School District as its home economics building, where hundreds of young Gravette students learned to cook and keep house, is undergoing a renovation. The building was originally a barracks at Camp Crowder in Neosho, Mo., and was one of two which was moved to Gravette after World War II. Both were relocated to Charlotte Street S.E. on what has been called the bus barn property and became part of the school district's complex.

Through the years, after they were retired from service, one of the buildings was demolished, while the other was used by the local Boy Scout troop. Once the Boy Scouts quit meeting there, the building began to fall into disrepair.

The city purchased the property in 2014 from the school district and in 2016 partnered with the Gravette Historical Museum Commission under the city, to restore and find a common use for the building. The city received a grant from the State of Arkansas to renovate the building into what is now being called the Gravette Community Room.The museum commission has contracted with Harrison French and Associates, an architectural firm in Bentonville, to design the project.

The project is designed to retain many of the original features as they would have been seen in the 1940s when the building was relocated. New features will include new lighting, heat and air, plumbing and accessible restrooms, an accessible ramp for improved access and new doors and windows. There will also be large display cases inside for displaying historical items from around the community. Another piece to remain intact is one of the original home economics kitchens. It was decided this piece of history should not be lost, and the entire project was designed around it.

The project is being done to accommodate large gatherings, meetings and events, and the building should seat up to 200 people. A second phase is planned which includes finishing out the basement for an outdoor meeting area. It is hoped this area will include an outdoor grill, outdoor fireplace, restrooms and counter area for catering.

The entire project is being done on a very low budget, and the city and the museum are working hard to stretch the community's dollars. Other organizations have donated toward the project which will help make it a reality. This is being done without cost to the city. The city's grant, the museum's contribution and third-party donations, along with vendor discounts and donations that have been secured, will cover the cost. The project is scheduled to go out to bid in May with an anticipated completion date of November, 2018.

Contact Steve Mitchael, museum commission chairman, for more information regarding the project.

Community on 04/18/2018