A public hearing will be held Tuesday night on a request to rezone the vacant Washington-Lee Elementary School property in Bristol so developers can repurpose the building into apartments.
The joint hearing will be held by the city council and the planning commission. Currently, the property is zoned single-family residential, and the proposed zoning is moderate-density residential.
Washington-Lee and two other elementary schools, Stonewall Jackson and Highland View, closed at the end of the 2024 school year. The city’s first new school in nearly 50 years, Virginia Intermediate School, opened that August.
Last September, the city council approved selling Washington-Lee and Stonewall Jackson to developers Clyde Stacy, a co-founder of the Hard Rock casino in Bristol, and James Bunn for $150,000 each. The sales haven’t been finalized yet, Community Development Director Jay Detrick said Monday.
The former Washington-Lee opened 57 years ago, and the property totals more than 8 acres. It is just off Sutherlin Street near Virginia High School.
The developers plan to put 28 to 30 units in the building, Detrick said. No time frame for construction or completion has been set, he added.
The plan for the Stonewall Jackson property is to repurpose it into a boutique hotel. The school opened 77 years ago and is on Euclid Avenue, near the casino.
The city informed all adjoining property owners of the proposed rezoning, Detrick said. After the public hearing, the rezoning request will go back to the planning commission, which will decide whether to recommend it to the city council. The council will then consider the request on two readings, with the first set for Oct. 28.
During recent meetings of the city council, several members have mentioned the need for more housing in the city. Detrick said there is a need for housing of all types, sizes and prices in Bristol, noting that the country as a whole is in the midst of a housing shortage. The opening of the casino has contributed to the need for more housing in Bristol, he said.
The meeting starts at 6 p.m. Tuesday and is held in the council chambers of city hall, 300 Lee St. Here’s the agenda.
