Built in 1913, the Lucketts Community Center was first a school for the Lucketts community. Currently serving as a preschool and community center, the building is now undergoing a complete renovation.

The renovation started in February 2011 and is set to be completed by summer of 2012.

Windows are being replaced. Central heat and air conditioning is to be put in. Expansions of classrooms, offices and restrooms will be installed near the section of the building where the preschool is located.

“It’s a historical building, so everything needs to be built according to historical code,” Nancy Radcliff, the assistant to the director of the community center said.

According to Hilary Cooley, director of the Lucketts Community Center, Loudoun County in 1982 bought the building from the School Board for $1 and turned it into a community center.

The community center has a full preschool, an after school program, childcare program and classes such as dance and karate. Cooley said that a lot of the homeowner’s associations in the Lucketts area hold their meetings at the community center. Activities range from Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts’ meetings to exercise classes.

“At the moment and the way we came to the bell tower is that Loudoun County is renovating the building. When they [started] renovating the building they found that the roof was not in very good shape and the bell tower was not in very good shape so they took it down,” Cooley said.

Builders by hand completely rebuilt the bell tower, an exact replica of the former structure, by recycling old pieces, according to Cooley. The original bell that used to be housed in the tower prior to opening as a community center in 1982 is now placed at the Lucketts Elementary School directly next to the community center, Cooley said.
The bell in the tower now was donated when they opened the center in 1982 and was placed back on the building on Jan. 12.

The preschool, daycare and after school activities have been moved into two classroom trailers next to the center during the renovations. Other activities have been put on hold until renovations have been completed.

Cooley said the basic idea of the renovation was to move the building into this century.

“All the [information technology] will be new and fixed. It will have central air and central heat which it did not have before,” Cooley said. “It will be totally up to snuff – it is totally accessible to anyone who’s handicapped. So it’s ramped and [has an] elevator. It’s just been a really good face uplift.”

Cooley says all the windows have been restored and the floors are set to be replaced.

“The building still has the old chalkboards, the old pressed in ceilings are still there, they maintained it,” Cooley said. “We’ll be delighted when we get back in.”