Forsyth County reopens renovated Matt Schoolhouse Community Building

Forsyth County on Thursday marked the official reopening of the renovated Matt Schoolhouse Community Building with remarks from county officials, the project architect and a former student.

Kirk Franz, director of Forsyth County Parks and Recreation, opened the ceremony and invited attendees to tour the restored facility after a ribbon cutting. Franz thanked project staff, the communications team and contractors who led the renovation.

"This building was given a second life instead of being torn down," Franz said, describing the schoolhouse as a place "where individuals with all abilities will build friendships, confidence, skills, and memories." He invited residents to visit the new art room, flexible program spaces, a green‑room kitchen for performances and a parent lounge.

Whitney Shaw of the Jericho Group, the architect on the project, said the firm aimed to "honor the past while creating a place that serves the need of today and tomorrow," preserving historic finishes such as penny‑tile flooring and beadboard wainscoting while adding accessibility improvements and updated restrooms.

Former student and teacher Barbara Hamby recalled attending the one‑room school that preceded the building and later Matt Junior High School. She described community life around the school and urged that the building be put to good use for "this community and all of Forsyth County." Hamby recounted details of mid‑20th century school life — including school lunches and traveling to school by foot — as part of the building’s history.

Forsyth County Manager David McKee said the project reflects the county’s long‑term commitment to preserving local history. He noted the reopening follows recent revitalization work at Bennett Park and thanked current and past boards of commissioners, facility staff and parks and recreation teams for their roles.

"We could have done a lot of other things with the money that was spent to put into this, but revitalizing this little piece of history is very important," McKee said.

District 4 Commissioner Mindy Moore described planned uses for the Matt Schoolhouse: it will house the Parks and Recreation therapeutic recreation division, provide space for staff from recycling and solid waste, host community meetings and events, and serve as a voting precinct beginning next week, restoring the site’s civic function.

Contractor and project partners were recognized during the ceremony, including Penncor (the contractor) and the county public facilities team, who McKee and Franz said led project management. Attendees were invited to tour the building and visit informational tables hosted by the Jericho Group and other partners after the ribbon cutting.

The building—originally constructed as a one‑room schoolhouse in 1948 and reported during the ceremony to have served about 75 students in its early years—will now function as a multiuse community facility for arts, therapy, meetings and county services. The ribbon‑cutting closed the program and opened the building for public touring.