The Hall County School District (HCSD) owns at least 72 properties, covering over 1,600 tax exempt acres in Hall County. One of these properties, located at 4 Stallworth Street, has become an eyesore for residents behind the old Gainesville Cotton Mill.

The Gainesville Cotton Mill, a school, a clinic, and residential homes were built in the early 1900s when the textile industry was established in the area. The property was owned by the Pacolet Manufacturing Company and was deeded to Milliken & Company on December 29, 1960. The original deed contained a restriction that this particular property could be only be used for public school purposes. However, the school burned in 1973 and was not rebuilt. Subsequently, the Gainesville Mill ceased operations in 1985.

On August 25, 1987, Milliken & Company submitted a Quit-Claim Deed and a Removal of Restrictions to the Hall County Clerk of Courts. Milliken & Company sold this property to the Hall County Board of Education for a sum of $10.

A brief visit to this property, located at 4 Stallworth Street, revealed a 1.62 acre lot in utter disrepair. The Gainesville Mill Clinic has broken windows and debris littering the entrance. The second building has windows and doors boarded up with plywood. With no fencing or barriers, vandals have painted the brick walls with graffiti, while weeds are growing in any spot of dirt around the building and in the parking area.

There is a lone sign on the property in front of the one-story structure which indicated that the Lanier Technical College Adult Education center had been located on the property at some point, but had been moved to the college’s property.

In reviewing the Parcel Information (00031 007001), there were building permits filed in 1999 and 2001 for new construction. Based on the age of the buildings, it appears that the one-story structure was erected in 2000 at a cost of $353,463. The current value of the buildings and property are listed as $558,356, as it has been for many years.

Given the state of the property, it seems doubtful that the Board of Education has plans to use it in the future. Since the property is tax exempt, the HCSD appears to be under no obligation to maintain and care for the property. This is showing a disregard for the residents living in the area, as it is unkempt and attractive to vandals. Do the newest members of the Board even know the property is in the portfolio of the HCSD? What is the current value of the property? As homeowners are being pressed to fork over more and more of their income to fund the HCSD, would it not be beneficial to all for this property to be sold to a developer that might improve the area for the residents, allowing the HCSD uses these funds to give homeowners a break?