NORTH ELEVATION

Hayden Village Center

Hayden Village Center Opening Fall 2016The Hayden Village Center has been more than seven years in the planning and development stages. It includes the adaptive rehabilitation of the historic African American Hayden High School and Junior High School located in rural Franklin, Virginia into a mixed-use community center offering a variety of inter-generational opportunities, community services and amenities available in one location, under one roof.The Hayden Village Center is a collaborative venture of Senior Services of Southeastern Virginia and CFA Housing Inc.

Who will it serve?The Center is intended to serve citizens in the City of Franklin and surrounding Western Tidewater communities.

Historic BackgroundThe existing and historic structure is an approximately 50,355 square foot brick building on about 6.1 acres which served as the high school for African American youth in the City of Franklin from 1953 until 1970. The school was named after Della I. Hayden, the daughter of a freed slave, who after graduating from what was then Hampton University (then Hampton Institute) in 1877, returned to Southampton County (Franklin) to teach in the public schools for a number of years. She went on to become the first lady principal at the State Normal School in Petersburg (now Virginia State University), but after 13 years returned to Franklin and Southampton County and founded a small boarding school for African American girls in 1904 (the Franklin Normal and Industrial Institute). As the school grew, male students were eventually admitted, but only during the daytime. Della served as principal until her death in 1924.

The building was approved in December 2012 for listing in the Virginia Landmarks Register by the Board of Historic Resources and was placed on the National Park Service National Register of Historic Places in 2013.

Purpose:To provide access to resources and innovative programs intended to positively impact the health, educational achievement and economic quality of life for all citizens living in the City of Franklin and nearby communities.

What is Planned?Phase I, with a project cost of $9.3 million, is currently planned to house the following:

A new adult day health center – the only one of its kind west of Chesapeake, Virginia; Senior Services of Southeastern Virginia (SSSEVA) wellness center for seniors; The Western Tidewater SSSEVA administrative offices including long term care services and supports, I-Ride Transit dispatch center, nutrition and wellness programs; A commercial office/community services facility; 17 affordable senior housing units; A family practice medical office; An African American heritage museum/library; Community development and enrichment programs for youth; A large multi-purpose room that in the late afternoons and evenings can be available for youth basketball and other community activities; A full service restaurant/café to support the food service needs of the tenants, their related business needs, and to be available as a community event resource; The Hayden Project will be self-sustaining in its first full year of operations; A future Phase II is planned.

Added Value: 70 jobs generating $3.8 million in new wages impacting the community during the 12-month construction phase; 45 new and permanent part-time and full-time jobs when the Center is completed; The retention of 40 full-time jobs immediately relocated into the new building.

For More Information Anyone wishing to learn more about the Hayden Village Center should please contact John Skirven, CEO or Debbie Schwartz, Director of Development and Community Relations, Senior Services of Southeastern Virginia at (757) 461-9481.