ROSENWALD SCHOOL REDEVELOPMENT STUDY

Seminole County, FL

Renaissance was retained to create a Strategic Master Plan for the Rosenwald School property, located in the Winwood community, an historic area in the southwestern portion of unincorporated Seminole County.  The Plan created a framework that examined specific community- and planning-related issues and provides recommendations to guide strategic actions for repurposing the Rosenwald School property.  The project engaged stakeholders in the community in consensus-building and buy-in over the course of the study, using two-way communication and exploration of new ideas to examine potential programs and services that can strengthen the community on different fronts and provide catalyst development, making it a hub of social and community services while at the same time respecting and preserving the identity and character that the community values.  

The Winwood community dates to the late 1880s.  Among its first residents were farmhands at south Seminole County’s citrus groves and ferneries and those who found work at the Altamonte Hotel (circa 1883).  The Rosenwald School in Seminole County is one of many rural southern schools opened during segregation by the philanthropist Julius Rosenwald to educate African American students.  Rosenwald used the profits from his share in Sears, Roebuck and Co. to establish a foundation that worked with advisor and educator Booker T. Washington to build the schools.

The Winwood community has relatively lower household incomes, lower home values, and higher unemployment rates than the rest of Seminole County.  As much as a quarter of the households here live under the poverty line.  Many households depend on walking, bicycling, and transit for mobility.  Investment in the community is a high priority to improve sociocultural and economic numbers, as well as the general health and quality of life for residents.

Renaissance worked with the community to identify a “wish-list” of potential facilities and services for the Rosenwald site.  Armed with that information, Renaissance planners created a series of potential concept plans for the site, including “historic” plans that kept all existing buildings, “hybrid” plans that kept some buildings and build new community facilities, and “modern” plans that demolished all existing buildings to provide room for new community facilities.  These concepts were taken back to the community for input, feedback, and prioritization.  In addition, the list of potential facilities and services was also prioritized.  After this feedback, Renaissance developed a final concept plan and recommendations for facilities and services, which was presented to the community for one last round of feedback prior to completing the recommendations and presenting to the Seminole County Board of Commissioners.