Concerns Raised About Use Of Patrick Henry Swing Space

ALEXANDRIA, VA—Residents turned out in numbers to a community meeting Monday, April 1 to oppose the use of the old Patrick Henry school building as a swing space during another elementary school's reconstruction.

Patrick Henry Elementary School students moved into their new school earlier in 2019, leaving the old space vacant. The old school was scheduled for demolished until a few weeks ago when Alexandria City Public Schools and city officials began exploring the use of the old school as a swing space while Douglas MacArthur Elementary School is rebuilt.

The school board will vote on the proposal on Thursday, April 4 at 7 p.m. at 1340 Braddock Place. To use the old school as a swing space, ACPS would need to request an amendment to the development special use from the Planning Commission and City Council.

The school district claims use of the Patrick Henry swing space would save $60 million, which would have been allocated for a new swing space. A study determined Douglas MacArthur Elementary School does not have room to build a new school next to the existing school.

ACPS says using the Patrick Henry swing space would not require the district to find land to build a new swing space, which would potentially delay the Douglas MacArthur project. Under the school district's timeline, Douglas MacArthur students would move into the swing space for the 2020-2021 school year and move into their new building in early 2023.

"The old Patrick Henry is not intended to be used for any other swing space in the City of Alexandria," said ACPS Superintendent Gregory Hutchings Jr. at the meeting.

If the swing space proposal is approved, completion of the fields and parking lot in front of the Patrick Henry School and Recreation Center could be delayed for up to four years.

Residents expressed concerns at the meeting about traffic, the potential need for renovations of the old Patrick Henry school, and the delay of providing outdoor play space for Patrick Henry students. Community members also questioned if the proposal is being rushed for approval without proper planning and what alternative swing space sites would have cost.

You can see the full meeting on the Patrick Henry swing space here and ACPS swing space webpage here.