A Memphis neighborhood that feared it would lose its elementary school will celebrate today when the Shelby County (Tenn.) district breaks ground on a new facility.
WMC-TV reports that the district is building a new Westhaven Elementary School to replace an aging facility that had been plagued with numerous maintenance problems, such as holes in the ceiling, moldy pipes and asbestos.
The school, built in 1956, was on the chopping block because of the facility's deteriorating conditions, and neighborhood residents mobilized to persuade the school board to build a new campus.
In May 2014, board members and county officials agreed to build a $14 million replacement school. The campus closed in 2014, and demolition of the existing building began in April 2015.
The new school is scheduled to open in 2016 and will have capacity for 1,100 students.
