About
In October 2023, Guilford County purchased the former Erwin Montessori Elementary School. In May 2024, the county engaged the Development Finance Initiative (DFI), a program with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s School of Government, to analyze the redevelopment feasibility of the former school site and assist with attracting private investment for the redevelopment of the site.
The former Erwin Montessori school, located at 3012 E. Bessemer Ave., Greensboro, NC, consists of two parcels totaling nine (9) acres. The site is bounded by E. Bessemer Ave., Dockery St., and E. Market St. All buildings are demolished.
In September 2024, Guilford County launched an online survey and hosted a series of public input sessions to learn what the community’s interests are for the redevelopment of the former Erwin School site.
Next Steps
Now that the site is clear, county leaders will continue to work with community members to determine how the site will be redeveloped. To stay informed about the project, sign up to receive project updates.
The Erwin School site has been identified as a priority focus of county leadership due to its proximity to E. Wendover Avenue and E. Market Street – both major thoroughfares through the City of Greensboro, Guilford Technical Community College (GTCC) East Campus, and the NC Cooperative Extension - Guilford County Center. The county intends for the redevelopment of the site to include a range of public and private uses that could support a mixed-use development.
The redevelopment of the site is part of a more general effort by both Guilford County and the City of Greensboro leadership to revitalize East Greensboro. Notable projects that are either planned or under construction in East Greensboro include the East Greensboro Greenway, Windsor Chavis Nocho Community Complex, The Resurgent, Pyramids Village, Gateway Research Park South Campus, and the Nussbaum Center Steelhouse.
DFI, a program of UNC-Chapel Hill's School of Government, partners with local governments to attract private investment for transformative projects by providing specialized finance and development expertise. DFI will conduct a feasibility analysis and identify several options for redevelopment of the Erwin School site for the county while regularly seeking feedback and engagement from county leadership. Once a redevelopment scenario has been endorsed by the county, DFI will solicit the opportunity to qualified development teams, and will assist the county with negotiations of a development services agreement with the selected partner.