The Resurrection of a Historical Landmark

The New City Hall & Community Campus assumes the location and appearance of one of Hardeeville's most treasured historical landmarks. Originally constructed in 1928, the old Consolidated School complex fell into disrepair and, regrettably, had to be demolished in 2003 - but not before architects documented its unique design. The rebuilt 10,000-square-foot facility (its façade an exact replica of the old school) houses council chambers, city treasurer, city clerk, the building & planning department, community development department, recreation department, administrative offices, multipurpose rooms and a museum. Campus plans also call for the creation/renovation of six ball fields and related amenities.

Center of the City

It is said that the Phoenix rises from its own ashes. City halls, on the other hand, are usually created in a slightly more pedestrian manner, brick by brick, over a period of many months or years. According to Hardeeville Mayor Rodney Cannon, however, it is possible for just such a building to "rise again" - especially if one believes in the power of history and community.

The "Evolution of an Idea"

Hardeeville's visionary approach to its new City Hall & Community Campus facility reflects the city's current status as one of the Southeast's hottest spots for new industrial and residential development. With its railway, seaport, airport and interstate highway access, Hardeeville forms the center of South Carolina and Georgia's economic development boom (see "Hardeeville - South Carolina's Emerald City," Expansion Solutions Magazine, Aug.-Sept. 2003).

"I call Hardeeville the evolution of an idea," says South Carolina Senator Clementa Pinckney, who grew up in nearby Ridgeland. "The rest of Jasper County will grow as Hardeeville grows. It's up to the local residents and officials to take advantage of this golden opportunity and to guide the city in its development."

Financed by $2.2 million in general obligation bonds, the new City Hall & Community Campus is just down the street from Hardeeville's former city hall. Erected in 1962, that complex is no longer large enough to accommodate the city's current staff of 40, let alone the 125 city expects to employ in the coming decades.

Phase One of the new facility called for the reconstruction of a 10,000-square-foot main building as well as the creation or renovation of a half-dozen ball fields and related amenities. Phase Two, though still on the drawing board, includes another $2.2 million in additional ball fields, a new stadium, playground, tennis and basketball courts, open-air performance center and 27,000-square-foot gymnasium.

Although most of the city's 2,500 residents know their neighbors, many of them long for the stronger community connections of yesteryear. Ironically, the new City Hall & Community Campus aims to satisfy such longings even as it heralds the largest era of expansion in the city's history.

Community Ties of Yesteryear

Built in 1928, the old Hardeeville Consolidated School was originally an "all-grade school" - one that everyone in the city attended, says Jim Tiller of J.K. Tiller Associates, the city's land-planning consultants on the City Hall project.

After being absorbed by the Jasper County school system, the building was donated in 1999 to the City of Hardeeville. Having fallen in disrepair, it would soon require refurbishing and adapting to new use, officials knew.

An old Hardeeville Consolidated School committee was established by Mayor Cannon to provide insight and guidance to both architects and administrators during the design process. Comprised of a dozen former Old School students, the committee helped to ensure that all parties remained sensitive to the values represented by the school.

One such committee member and a 1952 graduate of the Old School, Barbara Pinckney expressed a delight in being included. "The Mayor asked our reunion committee, which has been active for more than 15 years, to be a part of what the city was doing. It's the greatest thing for those of us who went to the school. We appreciate the city listening to us and considering our ideas."

"School and church used to be at the center of life in old Hardeeville," recalls David Lassiter, long-time city resident and community barber. "Not having a large enough area for a baseball diamond, my friends and I would use … the middle of Highway 46 as the outfield. Two trees served as first and third, and the steep steps of the Graysons' house was our bat base." The church lawn became the infield.

The crack of the bat is now being heard again. Also slated for inclusion in Phase One, a new covered stage area will provide for outdoor performances to be held at the new facility.

"Back in the old days, the Eastern Star organization would present a 'Grand Ole Opry' every year featuring local talent," Lassiter says. "My daddy would be in it, my uncle would play the guitar, and some of the ladies would perform Minnie Pearl."

Times have changed, of course, but the smart money's on Lassiter should someone revive the talent show at the New City Hall.

Although he didn't attend the Old School, Hardeeville City Administrator R. Shane Haynes understands the sentiment shared by so many residents. "Those who are devoted to the school hold it near and dear to their hearts," he says. "In the Old School they glimpse the essence of Hardeeville, and they want to see that essence grow and become a part of the city's future development."

Providing healthy social and recreational opportunities for children and adults, Haynes points out, is one of the surest ways to promote that legacy.

The Struggle for Rebirth

According to Mayor Cannon, given the state of disrepair the Old School had fallen into by 1999, it would have been prohibitively expensive to renovate. A decision was soon made to demolish and rebuild it. The external footprint and façade of the new building would remain identical to the old one, while interior spaces would be adapted to serve a variety of new functions.

Before the original structure could be razed, however, blueprints had to be meticulously created - a process that took several months to accomplish. Even as the dilapidated structure was being torn down, Haynes recalls, designers, citizens and officials were busy planning the building's rebirth as the new center of the city.

In a gesture of supreme generosity, Richard Gray - the owner of Grayco Building Center and the deed holder of 300 acres adjacent to the Old School - donated approximately 70 of those acres to the city to be used for its new recreational campus.

For the second time in its history, Hardeeville had a lumber merchant to thank for much-needed assistance. The first time, it was the Argent Lumber Company, which grew to be one of the area's most successful logging operations and the town's principal employer. This time around, Gray's assistance promises to unite in recreation many of the same families Argent once united in industry.

"The city cannot thank Mr. Gray enough, Cannon says. "His gift has enabled us to come together on this new campus and to enjoy our neighbors' company once again."

The New City Hall houses council chambers, city administrative offices, the city treasurer, city clerk, building & planning department, community development department, recreation department, a large multi-purpose community room, and a museum of memorabilia.

Display graphics depicting historical milestones line the building's main halls. Walls also feature display cases of city and school artifacts, mementos and vintage photography. Also prominently displayed in this space, an interactive kiosk introduces visitors to the city while a large-format timeline highlights significant events, beginning with the year 1732.

Lessons in Reconstruction

Groundbreaking on Phase One occurred on October 17, 2003. Construction began in December 2003 and the new facility opened in September 2004.

"The city was wise to adopt a phased approach to this project," Tiller says. This has afforded administrators sufficient time to complete many other important tasks along the way. "Not only are Hardeeville's council members reviewing and revising physical plans; they are updating ordinances, gathering engineering data, partnering with area utilities and expanding their computing capabilities."

The city is prepared for growth.

"We're endeavoring to establish an innovative role for the city that includes governmental services, community recreation and shared public amenities," Haynes says. "We want Hardeeville to be one of the most attractive and dynamic cities in the nation."

South Carolina State Rep. Thayer Rivers shared Haynes enthusiasm: "I can't think of a place in South Carolina that has more going for it than Hardeeville. It's right in the middle of everything. In five years, you're going to wish you'd taken pictures of it, because it's not going to look the same. I'm sure of that."

If resurrecting an old school reveals anything about the true nature of a community, perhaps it's that the best ones don't simply "exist." They must be constantly rediscovered, celebrated by each generation - and sometimes even partially reconstructed.

Remembering

Barbara Pinckney graduated from the Hardeeville Consolidated School in 1952 with five other girls and one boy. "I've lived all my life on Boyd Street," she says, "about three blocks away from the Old School where the new City Hall & Community Campus is now being built. My Great Aunt Pauline Boyd was a teacher from the day the school opened in 1928 until two years after I graduated. There were only four first-grade teachers at the school. She was the first."

Like many Hardeeville natives, Pinckney recalls the days of the old Argent Lumber Company. "The lumber mill kids went to school with us, but lived in the mill village located where the Hardeeville Industrial Park is now. One of those children, the late Bobby Thorpe, graduated from the Old School around the time of World War II and went on to play professional baseball. Charles McTeer, another Old School veteran, became the youngest graduate of the Citadel at age 19. He couldn't join the Army because he was too young, so he became a lawyer instead. Another promising alumnus, James Cook, tragically was the first man killed in Vietnam after graduating in the 1950s."

Memorabilia from the city and Old School was collected and placed in a museum inside the New City Hall complex. Among the treasures showcased: state championship trophies, band uniforms, military medals from a former student and a six-pack of Bobsi Cola bottled in Hardeeville in 1940s.