The Charlotte Hornets, Lowe’s and CrossRoads Corporation recently unveiled renovations to the Grier Heights Community Center (GHCC), located within the historic Billingsville School house, as part of the Hornets Legacy Project Powered by Lowe’s.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony took place earlier this fall and it featured leaders from the Hornets, Lowe’s, CrossRoads Corporation, the Grier Heights community, the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County.
The renovations include the conversion of existing bathrooms on the upper level into functional program space for Grier Heights residents, installation of a new accessible ramp linking the upper and lower levels of the building, additional fixtures to the lower-level bathrooms to meet building codes, relocation of HVAC units and the addition energy-efficient LED lighting.
Volunteers from the Hornets and Lowe’s completed various beautification tasks prior to unveiling the community center, such as assisting with yard clean-up, landscaping, painting and furniture assembly.
“It’s my pleasure to represent over 300,000 Lowe’s associates nationwide at this event,” said Lowe’s district manager Sean Reilly. “At Lowe’s, we are committed to making homes better for all – and that extends beyond the four walls and into our neighborhoods and communities.
“Charlotte is our hometown, and that’s very important to us. We believe as a company that when our communities are strong, so will our company.
"We are truly blessed to be able to help make a difference with the Charlotte Hornets. This renovation was truly a team effort. We converted existing rooms into functional spaces, made sure the facilities were up to code, upgraded amenities and much more. Most importantly, the Grier Heights Community Center will provide a safe place for the community to gather… We’re very proud to help with the new facility and even prouder to call Charlotte our home.”
Billingsville School was built in 1927 as an all-Black “Rosenwald School” founded with the support of Booker T. Washington and philanthropist Julius Rosenwald, who generously provided a matching grant to any funds raised by Grier Heights residents. Nearly 100 years later, the GHCC hosts a variety of events, classes, programs, and gatherings for the community.
The building appears on the National Register of Historic Places as a landmark in the history of national and local philanthropic efforts to improve education for African Americans. And with Lowe’s help, the next generation is poised for success.
“I think it continues the legacy of empowering (the youth) and letting them know that opportunities are always available for them,” GHCC executive director Tijua Robinson said of the kids impacted by the project. “This is their home away from home as it always has been – but they just know that anything is possible now.”
The Hornets Legacy Project was established in 2016. The Hornets and Lowe’s, who have a long history of working together to benefit the Charlotte community, have focused the Legacy Project to support projects in the Grier Heights community over the next three years.
