Gandy announces start of Whitesboro School painting project
Middle Township awarded contract in 2020 for work on historic community building
Cape May Court House, N.J.— After meeting with the contractor on site, Middle Township Committeeman Ike Gandy today announced that the historic Whitesboro School House will get a fresh look for spring, as work commences on the exterior painting project awarded by the Township in late 2020.
“Now that the weather is improving, we’re excited to get this painting project underway,” Gandy said. “This work follows on the heels of our investment in major upgrades to the School House’s HVAC system in the past few months.”
Gandy, a Supervising Construction Foreman, has oversight of Buildings and Grounds in the Township. He said the exterior upgrades will be meant to last.
“We are making a significant investment in this property. It was important to me that we did this right,” Gandy said. “This historic School House holds a special place in the history of Whitesboro and our community at large. We want the appearance of the building to reflect our commitment to honoring that history.”
The Township Committee passed a resolution to award a contract to Cape May Painting. The painting project will refresh the historic school building that operated from 1911 to 1967. The nonprofit Concerned Citizens of Whitesboro uses the building for its headquarters through a partnership established with the Township in 2018.
Cheryl Spaulding, program administrator for the Concerned Citizens of Whitesboro, expressed appreciation for the exterior work on the school building at an October 2020 Township Committee meeting.
“On behalf of the Concerned Citizens of Whitesboro and (group President) Bernie Blanks, I just want to thank you guys for moving it along to paint the building,” she said.
The Historic Whitesboro School stands at the end of Main Street near Route 9 – just down the block from the new Whitesboro Post Office that opened last summer.
“Our next project here will be to upgrade the pedestrian crosswalks at the intersection of Route 9 and Main Street,” Gandy said. “We look forward to new, more visible crosswalks, signage and other safety features. As foot traffic increases, due to the new Post Office and growth in programs at the School House, we want to ensure the safety of residents.”
The crosswalk work will be a partnership between Middle Township and the New Jersey Department of Transportation. The Township hopes to complete the work before the busy summer season.
Middle Township Committeeman Ike Gandy (above) takes a look at the exterior of the historic Whitesboro School House with Cape May Painting contractor Jerry Gallagher. The building’s exterior will be painted this spring. The Township also has invested in HVAC upgrades at the School House building.
