Senior Housing Complex Planned for Huntington School
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Updated: 8:21 PM Sep 3, 2008
Senior Housing Complex Planned for Huntington School
Senior citizens could call a longtime school home in the next few years. Huntington Middle School, which many people know as the old West Middle School, may be converted into a senior housing complex.
Posted: 8:19 PM Sep 3, 2008
Reporter: Bill Murray
Email Address: bill.murray@wsaz.com
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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- Senior citizens could call a longtime school home in the next few years.

Huntington Middle School, which many people know as the old West Middle School, may be converted into a senior housing complex. The nearly 100-year-old building in West Huntington has remained a middle school during renovation of Cammack Middle School.

In Wayne County, the transformation of Westmoreland Elementary School into senior housing has been a big success. Wilda Dorsey moved into a place of her own there this summer -- in a neighborhood she's known all her life.

"A lot of older folks will say, 'Do you know where the Westmoreland Elementary School is?' Well, that's where I live," Dorsey said with a laugh.

The former elementary school was converted into senior housing by the Wayne County Community Service Organization. Linda Blamer is the personnel director at the facility – a place she said might have been abandoned.

"It allows the seniors access to market," she said. "There's a senior center next door. … It allows them a one-stop shop for everything they need."

That concept may be the future of the old West Middle School, which is located in Cabell County. The school board already has sent a letter of intent. It states that upon receipt of requested funding, the board strongly supports the project and agrees to convey the property to the Cabell County CCCSO for the sum of $9.999.

"We see it as an opportunity to take over a school building that could be left vacant, vandalized and that's going to affect the community," said Robert Roswell, director of the Cabell County CCCSO.

Dorsey said she’s glad to be a part of a revitalization effort that's preserving history, adding that people will benefit from another similar project in West Huntington.

Once the students vacate Huntington Middle School, it could take three years before seniors call the old West Middle School home.


Latest Comments

Posted by: anon-1 on Sep 4, 2008 at 11:16 AM

West Middle School was located on Jefferson Ave. The former school (Westmoreland Middle) featured in this story is on Hughes Street. The two schools are 2.4 miles apart.
Posted by: anon-1 on Sep 4, 2008 at 11:14 AM

I can understand the confusion because of the similarity in the names.
Posted by: anon-1 on Sep 4, 2008 at 11:02 AM

J, you are wrong. I've seen the video images of the school and I attended this school in the mid 1990s. It was called Westmoreland Middle School. It closed when it moved to the old Vinson High School on Piedmont Road and became Vinson Middle School. Maybe I'm missing something after it closed in the 1997, 1998. If so, please inform me.
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