Grier Heights Community Center

The Grier Heights Community Center (GHCC) is located in the former Billingsville School, a three-room schoolhouse built in 1927 under the auspices of the Rosenwald Foundation. The building stands as a landmark in the history of African American education in Mecklenburg County, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It illustrates both national and local philanthropic efforts to improve the deplorable state of education for African Americans living in rural communities, and serves as a reminder of the racially segregated school systems. An important institution in the formerly rural community of Grier Heights, the school is a rare survivor in now urbanized Mecklenburg County. It stands as one of the three best-preserved Rosenwald schools remaining in the County and exemplifies the Rosenwald design and construction in its form, materials, and floor plan.

Over the past few years, CrossRoads has worked with Grier Heights neighbors, foundation donors, and other partners to secure control of the school building, then rehabilitate and redevelop the original Billingsville School which, although used quite extensively, had fallen into a state of disrepair. The ribbon cutting celebration for this $500,000 project was held on Labor Day, September 7, 2015.

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