NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — Norfolk City Council has deferred a decision on a comprehensive agreement to build a new Maury High School, to next month.
Council voted to continue the vote to its Aug. 26 meeting after City Manager Patrick Roberts asked for more time.
In a 5-3 decision, Norfolk City Council voted in favor of receiving that extra time to revisit the comprehensive agreement between the council, Norfolk School Board and Heartland Construction. The agreement would entail the final design and construction of a replacement Maury High School and supporting facilities.
“I’m encouraged by the discussions that my staff have had with those two entities over the last several days there are just a few substantive matters within that contract that require some additional negotiation, I’m asking for several more days to wrap that up, bring back a final recommendation to council, and that opportunity would also afford us the ability to update the public on the details of the project,” Roberts said.
Part of this project now includes a recent proposal to demolish Ghent School and spend $11 million on an athletic complex to include a 4,000-seat football stadium as part of a new Maury to replace the current school, which dates back to 1911 and has deteriorated.
Ghent School is on a preliminary list of Norfolk public schools recommended to close, and earlier this week, the Norfolk School Board began to consider a new site plan for a new Maury High School that involved demolishing the K-8 school to make way for an athletic complex for the rebuilt high school.
One council member in favor of having more time to make this decision is Ward 4 Councilman John “JP” Paige.
“There was some unreadiness, there were some factors that needed to be considered, some information that we needed to have, accurate square footage accounting for how much money were spending, we’re about to spend $225 million dollars at least,” Councilman Paige said.
He says the extra time will give all entities, council, school board, and citizens time to become completely informed on a decision that will have impacts well into the future. For example, the possible closure of Ghent School, to build Maury athletic fields, but only time will tell what final plan the city will approve.
“The thing that hurts us when we wait is that the prices increase, things are steadily going up,” Paige said.
As council has their eyes on August 26th, Norfolk School Board has theirs on August 1st. Despite Maury plans not being finalized. School Board’s August 1st deadline from the city, to provide a list of 10 schools to be closed or consolidated, still stands. Councilman Paige was asked, could the school board also have more time to make their decision?
“If we have to wait a little longer, me personally I’m okay with that but I’m only one vote out of eight on this council,” Councilman Paige said “If time is needed for our most important commodity which is our children, to make sure that the best decision is made, me personally I’m okay with that.”
A schematic design for the new $230 million school was approved in March, with the understanding that new design plans would be proposed moving forward.
Had it been approved, the comprehensive agreement for the final design and construction of the new Maury High School next to the current school would have taken effect July 31 between the city of Norfolk, the city’s School Board and Heartland Construction. City Council approved the $6.1 million design work for the new Maury a year ago.
The board approved a proposal in December 2023 to build a new Maury and preserve the historic building in Ghent.
The board approved an initial design for the new Maury in March, with the understanding that it allows flexibility in those designs moving forward.
See below the proposed comprehensive agreement council was to vote on Tuesday:
