West Virginia board of education wants to downsize facilities for its Schools for the Deaf and the Blind

The West Virginia board of education is planning to significantly downsize to its Schools for the Deaf and the Blind campus in Romney. 

State education officials say the school has more than 320,000 square feet of buildings across 79 acres, but fewer than 80 students, reports The Charleston Gazette-Mail. 

The school has estimated that downsizing, demolitions and renovations will cost about $30 million. The renovation plans include fire safety improvements, elevator upgrades, roof replacements, and air conditioning system replacements.

If the plan is approved, the institution’s size will shrink about 40%, down to 192,000 square feet.

The schools for the Deaf and the Blind merged during the 2021-22 school year. Classes and administrative offices are in one centralized building.

The state board had been planning to renovate a residence hall, Seaton Hall, and move residential students there. However, a feasibility study determined that renovations were expected to cost about $15 million. 

The state now is planning to keep the residential students in another residence hall, Keller Hall. Keller hall will be renovated, and the residence hall wings of Seaton Hall will be demolished  — preserving and renovating only Seaton’s dining and recreation section. The plan also includes demolishing nine buildings.

The plan also includes repurposing the 68,000-square-foot building that housed the elementary deaf school.

The school's 13,700-square-foot administration building burned down in February.

Funds for the project would come from the school budget, Covid relief funding, and hoped-for state School Building Authority grants.