Sunday, January 17, 2016

Sterling Community Center Annex - 2016 Update

[Firstly, before we start, this is my first blog here in a while. Although a noble subject, I have branched out from writing a blog exclusively on Loudoun County Public Schools. If you wish to continue following my latest adventures and projects, visit History Scout!]

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Sterling Community Center Annex, 2016

[Update August 2023: This school has now been demolished. Check out Sterling Annex DEMO DAY 1]

Many people stumble onto my posts from Google, searching for something they're interested in. Out of the Top Five most viewed posts here, the first four are on Loudoun County High School (understandable). The fifth one stands out - a post I wrote in 2012 on the Sterling Community Center Annex.

Why so popular? People want to find out what is going on with the stately building on the corner of a busy interchange, hauntingly falling into disrepair. A lack of online information, coupled with my post being the first choice when you type in "Sterling Community Center Annex," and there you go.

When I last wrote about this former 1940's school building in 2013, Belfort Furniture had bought the property. Since then, Belfort has been working on redeveloping this and 7 other adjacent land parcels into a new economic/residential area. This has involved a lot of planning, rezoning requests, county government meetings, and so forth.

In 2015, when Belfort Furniture spoke with Loudoun's Board of Supervisors, they said they were considering incorporating elements from the school's architecture into the new building. While the building is eligible to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Board of Supervisors decided in 2008 not to add it. They also recommended the building should be demolished rather than being reused.

So the building is in limbo until these plans are finalized. It is honorable Belfort is even considering to save some of the building. I hope they do.

While all of this has been going on, a few years without maintenance are starting to show on the school building. Check out these before and after shots (Summer 2012 and January 2016):

Front of Sterling Annex, 2012

Front of Sterling Annex, 2016


Flagpole, 2012

Flagpole, 2016


Side Door, 2012

Side Door, 2016


Inside Hallway, 2012

Inside Hallway, 2016


Backside of Sterling Annex School, 2012

Backside of Sterling Annex School, 2016


Belfort is keeping the grass cut, and have cut the plants around the building. Paint is chipping everywhere. Windows, broken by vandals, have been boarded up. Along the front of the building, one side of the gutter is coming down, while on the other side it's completely gone. Inside, the drop-ceiling has been removed, revealing the roof's wooden supports. I will say the roof, while still patchy, looks in better condition. The patch job looks like it is smoothed down and more shingles have been added on the edges of the patch areas.

The building is being taken care of, yes, but it's more patch jobs than fixing problems. Again, with it being in limbo for its future, that's all anyone would want to put into the property.

Here are some more pictures:

Detail of the front doors

Now that the plants have been cut,
you can finally see into the Auditorium!

Backside of the school

What would I do if I was in Belfort's shoes for the redevelopment? Keep the front façade and roof-line, add to the building on the sides and behind. Leave the ceiling open to see those wooden beams. Add one display case inside with school memorabilia. It would be wonderful if they could somehow incorporate that beautiful proscenium arch into their plans, or the building's side doors and arches. Is this overly optimistic? Yes. Do I care that it is? No. I like dreaming big.

Thank you again, wandering internet travelers, it was nice to revisit the Sterling School.
Sources Used:
Loudoun Dept of Planning and Zoning Memorandum - 3/18/2015
Sterling's Belfort Furniture bids to redevelop with new homes and retail - and drops a subtle ultimatum
Board of Supervisors Public Hearing - 7/8/2015


Read all Sterling Annex Posts:
Sterling Community Center Annex (2012)
News on the Sterling Annex Building (2013)
Sterling Community Center Annex - 2017 Update
Sterling Community Center Annex - 2018 Update
Sterling Community Center Annex - 2019 Update
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