Old H.M. Kigh High School tower has become favorite roosting place for buzzards. Kingsville City Mayor Sam Fugate reported on the status and plans for the restoration of the old H.M. King School at a recent city commission meeting. He encouraged the city commissioners and the staff to become involved early in the planning. Fugate said plans are moving quickly and people will notice this within the next five or six months. He informed the city commissioners that the Kingsville Independent School District had transferred the deed to a private foundation established for the main purpose of restoring the old H.M. King High School that has been designated a historical landmark.

“If you are interested in making this a new City Hall, then we need to get the staff involved in how this thing develops in planning the building,” Fugate said.

Fugate explained the Foundation was getting a proposal from an architect for a comprehensive plan. The building will be weatherized to stabilize the structure.

Shattered and fallen roof tiles and bricks litter the grounds surrounding the old H.M. King High School. (Photo by Gloria Bigger-Cantu) (An agreement was finalized between KISD and the King High School Historical Foundation Dec. 3 at a meeting in San Antonio. KISD and the Foundation had been working on an agreement almost a year ago. Reports and studies revealed interest in restoring the old high school as early as 1980).

Fugate explained that KISD retained some of the property that included the cottage, and other acreage. The gym is not included in the plan only everything south. Fugate explained the restoration would be a comprehensive all-inclusive type of plan that will cover some of the school district’s properties. Fugate said it was important for the school district to be there because Mrs. King requested this land be used for educational purposes.

The mayor commented that city government can be “awfully educational, but it really does not meet with the spirit of Mrs. King’s desires, so the school district needs to participate in this with the city, not only providing educational programs but also financially because some of their properties will be involved in the renovation process.”

“This will be an interesting partnership with city, school district and a private donation,” Fugate said.

Commissioner Charlie Wilson said they had talked about this project in general terms, but a formal vote to commit the city and the citizens of Kingsville had not been taken. Wilson said that before human resources are expended to be part of this project, the city needs to formalize that the city will be taking the building and making it the City Hall and then commit the resources needed whether it is on the elected side of the house or the bureaucratic side of the house and make sure those resources are available throughout the project. Fugate agreed this was a good point and might be done through a resolution.

“Fugate added the city needs be involved from now on but there needs to be a mechanism in place to give the city a long term interest in this property. There needs to be a commitment, not only tax dollars to a certain extent, but also the staff’s time and energy.

Commissioner Stan Laskowski questioned how much was needed from them. He stated this is something that needs serious thought and if that is the direction the city wants to go, it being a new city Hall since the building has been outgrown, the City needs to be looking for something.

Laskowski biggest issue was how much for the city and what the city could afford to pay.

“He asked the mayor what the cost would be for the city. Fugate said he was not being evasive and did not know until the architect presented the proposal.

Commissioner Arturo Pecos praised the project because the county would be restoring the Courthouse on the east side and the west side would also have something going on.

“These are exciting times,” Pecos said.

Old H.M. King School, located at Kleberg and North 3rd Street, has been an abandoned and neglected building since the early eighties. The restoration of the building has been estimated at about $8 million. The roof repairs will cost about $2 million.