Apr 18 2013
Hendrick Construction, Inc. has won a $2 million contract to renovate the McCelvey Center Annex in the City of York's historic district. The 18,600-square-foot project features the upgrade of a concrete block and brick structure at 212 E. Jefferson Street.
The building will house the Historical Center of York County, an archives and genealogical library, and the Southern Revolutionary War Institute when it is completed, which is scheduled for fall 2013.
For more than 150 years the McCelvey Center site has been home to a variety of educational institutions. Originally, it was the home of the Yorkville Female College, founded in 1852 by Bethel Presbytery. Built to accommodate 300 boarding students, the school was considered to be one of South Carolina's leading schools for women. It became Yorkville Graded School in 1889 until a fire destroyed the building in 1900. The school was rebuilt in 1902 and later an east wing and theater were added in 1922. The Annex was built in 1956 for first through third grade classrooms. In honor of George McCelvey , the school's principal from 1912 to 1948, the school was renamed McCelvey Elementary School in 1973. Enrollment outgrew the building and classes were relocated in 1987.
"This is an important project that will help protect the history of the York community," said Hendrick Construction President Roger Hendrick . "We're thrilled to be a part of it and committed to working within the County's timeframe and budget."
The original design for the Annex used a flat roof and block walls, but Hendrick Construction will install a pitched-hip roof and modern storefront windows, as well as a new water and sewer infrastructure. The new interior will feature sheetrock walls, custom millwork, six restrooms, and special storage rooms to house the Culture & Heritage Museums' collections of art, archives and historical objects.
The renovated architecture will resemble nearby historic buildings, including the McCelvey Center. The architect for the renovation is Darrell Watts with DWW Architects of Fort Mill, S.C.