The Prince George’s County Historical Preservation Commission (HPC) unanimously agreed to designate the original 1938 Greenbelt High School, today’s Dora Kennedy French Immersion (DKFI) School building, as a Prince George’s County Historic Site. The historic site designation will be recorded as Greenbelt High School. This decision was triggered by the announcement that Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGPCS) planned to demolish the building.
The virtual meeting included the seven HPC commissioners and Prince George’s County Planning Department Historic Preservation staff. PGCPS was represented by the Department of Capital Programs senior mechanical engineer Dawn Holton, and the City of Greenbelt by Terri Hruby, director of Planning and Community Development.
Historic Preservation staff recommended the designation, citing the building’s design characteristic of the Greenbelt National Historic Landmark; its representation of political history, education and suburban growth; and as a rare example of Art Moderne/International architecture in Prince George’s County. Their report included the building’s role in the 1973 racial desegregation of Prince George’s County Public Schools.
Commissioner Jane Carpenter-Rock asked Holton if historic site designation would hinder educational services, to which Holton said no. When HPC Chair John Peter Thompson asked if DKFI would stay in the building, Holton described its planned move to another location. Hruby said, “The city has growing concerns about the future of this site, particularly given recent announcements by PGCPS regarding relocation,” and “We firmly believe the site does meet the criteria to be designated a Historic Site.”
Building Condition, Next Steps
The building has been in poor condition since at least 2007, when occupied by Greenbelt Middle School (GMS). That led to constructing the new (2012) GMS building and plans to demolish the old building. In March 2024 PGCPS Director of Building Services Samuel Stefanelli warned the building could have a critical failure at any time. Reported challenges include water leakage, structural decay, nonworking restrooms and rooms without air conditioning or heat. Last week the aftercare provider at the school said they were unable to continue to operate due to Maryland Department of Health and Safety requirements after air-conditioning failed in parts of the building used by aftercare. After the holiday weekend, parents were awaiting an inspection from the Office of Childcare and Licensing that would allow aftercare to reopen.
In January 2024 PGCPS leaders told Greenbelt City Council they planned to move DKFI out of the building in 2026 and move Springhill Lake Elementary School (SHLES) into the building while a new SHLES building is constructed. On March 11, Shawn Matlock, PGCPS’ Office of Alternative Infrastructure and Planning and Development director, said the building’s “non-historic portions will be decommissioned and/or the building transferred to the City of Greenbelt,” adding that PGCPS would demolish the building if not transferred to Greenbelt.
City Ownership Implications
If the city were to acquire access to some or all of the property, it could be used to provide recreational facilities and other services to Greenbelt West residents, a need often discussed but hampered by the city owning minimal land in Greenbelt West. In 2011 when PGCPS first planned to vacate the building, the city discussed its future use, but discussion ended when PGCPS decided to move the Robert Goddard French Immersion Program (later renamed Dora Kennedy) into the building, after a $5.7M renovation.
DKFI, SHLES Concerns
Historic Site designation adds processes to protect the building and PGCPS decommissioning offers opportunities to serve Greenbelt West residents. These opportunities don’t directly affect the challenges the DKFI and SHLES communities will face as current and future occupants of an old building for which minimal improvements are planned during their occupancy through 2028.
A Legacy and a Future
Board of Education Member for District 2 Jonathan Briggs said, “School buildings are not just the physical building, but the memories and experiences that so many in the community have been a part of. This building has history and sentiment for the community as a whole. It’s great news that the legacy of the building will live on.”
By email, Greenbelt City Manager Josué Salmerón said he is “excited that the commission unanimously approved the Historic Site designation. It is an important piece of Greenbelt’s history. I believe the school site can be a strategic location for enhancing services for our residents. While we haven’t had any discussions about potential uses of the space … the possibilities of how it can continue to serve our residents are endless. I am hopeful that once the school facility is decommissioned – and now with the historic designation – we will be intentional about repurposing the site for continued use as a community asset, similarly to how the Community Center is now a community asset.”
Historical Perspective
The location for the school was chosen to serve both Greenbelt and Berwyn Heights, and Greenbelt students used the underpass under Edmonston Road to get to school before the Beltway was built.