In Jones County, North Carolina, residents were determined to find a way to renovate and combine three, deteriorating public school buildings that served their community. The existing facilities were in an unmanageable state of disrepair, with a backlog of over 60 years of deferred maintenance and significant damage from Hurricane Florence.
Because schools in North Carolina are mostly funded by local governments, achieving this goal in a rural community with a limited economic base was going to be a challenge. With one penny on the tax rate raising only $70,000, the County would have had to almost triple property taxes to build the school through traditional delivery methods. For over 10 years, they worked on finding a solution for how to finance the project.
Finally, the County concluded that the only way to cost-effectively construct this new school was through a public-private-partnership, the second ever in the State. The partnership was led by Firstfloor, a development company that specializes in educational facilities, and included financing from both North Carolina and Jones County. As part of the deal structure, FirstFloor would own the building for 7 years (from 2018 to 2025) and lease it to the district, after which the local government would take ownership.
A key component of the success of the project was the use of New Markets Tax Credits (NMTCs), which were provided by BlueHub and AMCREF Community Capital. The NMTC financing was able to fill the project’s financing gaps, enabling the community to break ground on a new, state-of-the-art facility that combined their old elementary, middle and high schools into one campus. The energy-positive building, which includes 2,148 rooftop solar panels, returns more energy to the grid than it consumes, and provides a beautiful and healthy learning atmosphere.
The facility is also designed to address the air quality challenges that eastern North Carolina faces due to the high concentration of hog farms in the region. The airborne pollutants caused by the industry are linked to various negative human health outcomes. To combat this, the school features an air cleaning system that limits the amount of outdoor air flowing into the building, thereby creating the best possible indoor environment for students and staff.
This investment in sustainable educational facilities is not only a new benchmark for eco-friendly school buildings—it also represents dramatic economic benefits for this rural low-income community, estimated to save Jones County $700,000 per year now and $40 million over the life of the building.
This rural community has a rich history in agriculture, as well as a powerful sense of responsibility for the natural environment. This building connects the existing culture of stewardship in nature to a profound responsibility for the built environment, making Jones County, for its size, one of the most environmentally responsible communities in the nation.
The building supports 100 jobs in the community, paying an average of 94% above the local living wage, and at least 90% of staff are hires from the surrounding community. The school is a true cornerstone of the community.
In 2025, ownership of the Jones County K-12 school was transferred from Firstfloor to the Jones County government, which will work in conjunction with the school board to ensure the school continues to serve the students and community members effectively. Schumata Brown, Chairman of the Jones County Board of Education, stated, "The transfer is about ensuring that your school remains a beacon of excellence, equipped to meet the needs of today and the challenges of tomorrow".
Read more about the impact of this investment with AMCREF Community Capital.
