A statement from the office of Danville Community Development Administrator Logan Kronk has announced the cancellation of the Thursday, May 12th meeting of the Danville Historic Preservation Commission, where the future of the Cannon School site was to be discussed. A letter received by the commission from Danville District 118 stated objections to any landmark designation for Cannon School, making the meeting unnecessary.
District 118 Assistant Superintendent John Hart stated that as owners of the Cannon School building, the district would need to enter into an agreement for any preservation or landmark designation.
Hart also stated, however, that the district is still looking into what’s feasible as far as preserving some arcitectural portions of the building in some way, on or off the Cannon School property site. This could be the limestone portion that says CANNON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL above the entrance. Hart says there’s also been interest in saving the front curvature of the school on the ground and the doorway part. But currently, that’s looking to be too costly.
AUDIO: It looks like we can get the Cannon School limestone marker from the building. And we’re looking at the cost of the curve of the building; and using it for some sort of entrance trying to be able to save that piece. But as of right now it looks like that estimate is going to come in pretty high; it looks like it may actually be out of reach. But something, some symbol of Cannon School will remain.
District 118 had previously halted demolition work at the Cannon School site to communicate with residents interested in saving the structure. Hart says that the demolotion work will most likely continue within the next couple weeks.
