Montgomery Mall Might Still House Students
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We have learned about a new way the city wants to breathe life into the old Montgomery Mall.
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Mayor Todd Strange has confirmed to us there’s money that could help the school system put students in the mall after all.Â
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The project would use state money to expand the dual enrollment program, which allows students to earn college credit while attending high school.
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It won’t relocate an entire school to the Mall, but Mayor Strange says it’s a step in the right direction.
Montgomery Public Schools currently own the Parisian building in the old Montgomery Mall.
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The school board put off relocating a school there back in February, but Superintendent Margaret Allen said she was open to suggestions.
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One of the laws passed this year will help fund dual enrollment programs across the state, and that’s where Mayor Todd Strange sees opportunity.Â
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“At the end of the day what we would like to have is a technology center, state of the art technology center that would encompass the board of education for high school, also perhaps even for the technical school Trenholm to have something that AIDT could use for existing industries,” said Strange.
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Mayor Strange says he doesn’t see MTEC completely moving to the mall, instead expanding into the building.
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Some people in Montgomery are glad to see more done with the aging Montgomery Mall.
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“It’s a bit disheartening to see them just sitting there, all the empty buildings that I would ride past or go to when I was young and growing up. That whole area of town just kind of, I hate to see it the way it is. So I am glad that efforts are being made to revitalize,” said Tunisia Thomas.
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“I think it’s a good idea with the school system that they’re getting up with the college kids and I think they’ll do well,” said Sharna Davis.
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Strange says the plan isn’t set in stone and there’s still a lot of work to be done with the school board, but he has high hopes for the project.Â
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“I think you could get it done fairly rapidly, but certainly not in time for August ’14, maybe sometime in the calendar year ’15,” said Mayor Strange.
