Context and Rationale

When the Brooklyn neighborhood was destroyed by the policies and programs of Urban Renewal in the 1960s, an entire African-American community was displaced. Homes, churches, and businesses of the Black Main Street were destroyed. The Second Ward High School was the first to serve black youth in Charlotte and was originally located alongside the Brevard Street library and YMCA that served African Americans. In 1970, the school was closed and torn down. Commitments were made to rebuild the high school in the Second Ward once the community was “renewed” but this never came to fruition.

As Charlotte enters into a new era of addressing historic inequities, the time is right to honor this 50-year old promise and create a new Second Ward High School. A public magnet school with a unique curriculum would address economic mobility and focus on career pathways. Students would have access and exposure to a dynamic urban center and real-world work experiences. Student housing can also be created for students without stable housing or home environments, similar to the North Carolina School of Science and Math.

The new high school would become fully integrated into the fabric of the Second Ward and mixed-use Brooklyn village. Classrooms, workshops and athletic facilities would co-exist with residential development, businesses and community services.

Objectives

• Restore a part of the Brooklyn community destroyed by Urban Renewal and fulfill the promise of a new Second Ward High School

• Create a unique curriculum that addresses social disparities and creates a talent pipeline for Center City

• Honor the legacy of the Second Ward High School, Myers Street School and Carver College by serving a diverse student body from the entire city and county

Strategies and Recommendations

J1. PARTNER WITH CHARLOTTE MECKLENBURG SCHOOLS (CMS), THE PRIVATE SECTOR, AND PHILANTHROPIC ORGANIZATIONS INCLUDING TO ESTABLISH A SECOND WARD HIGH SCHOOL

J2. BUILD A HIGH SCHOOL ON CMS-OWNED LAND ALONG EAST MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. BOULEVARD

J2-1 Design a site that:

› Provides pedestrian connections to community destinations including the Second Ward High School Gym, Mecklenburg Aquatic Center, Marshall Park and new public spaces developed through the Brooklyn Village Plan

› Connects students to Center City transit hubs and employment centers via bus, shuttle and/or active transportation

J2-2 Identify development opportunities in the blocks bordered by South Caldwell, East Stonewall, East Fourth Street and South McDowell Streets

J2-3 Prioritize potential sites in the blocks bordered by South Caldwell, East Stonewall, East Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and the Metro School (former South Alexander Street)

J3. DEVELOP A UNIQUE CURRICULUM THAT ADDRESSES ECONOMIC MOBILITY AND IS ALIGNED WITH BUSINESS NEEDS AND PARTNERSHIPS

• Include specialized courses and curricula that attract students from the entire city and county and emphasize topics such as business and finance, arts, design, energy, fintech, medical and sustainability

• Consider dual/concurrent enrollment with Center City’s colleges and universities

• Consult with opportunity Insights / Leading on Opportunity and other organizations and leaders addressing economic mobility

• Partner with Center City businesses and institutions to develop an academic and business co-op curriculum to provide paid internships and other opportunities to develop talent aligned with employer needs

J4. COLLABORATE WITH MECKLENBURG COUNTY, CMS AND THE DESIGNATED DEVELOPER OF THE BROOKLYN VILLAGE PROJECT TO EXPLORE CO-LOCATION OPPORTUNITIES AND AN APPROPRIATE MIX OF USES FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING AND/OR BLOCK SUCH AS:

• Childcare facilities

• Recreation center

• Community center

• Senior center

• Parks, public spaces, and community gardens

• Satellite or branch locations of local colleges and universities

J5. WORK WITH THE SECOND WARD HIGH SCHOOL NATIONAL ALUMNI FOUNDATION TO ESTABLISH A NEW MUSEUM IN THE MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT TO:

• Employ students as docents

• Commemorate the former Brooklyn neighborhood

• Highlight the accomplishments of and contributions made by former students and other African-Americans

• Educate a new generation of Charlotteans on the area’s civic history