Wake County officials are weighing three very different approaches for Ligon Magnet Middle School, a 72-year-old Southeast Raleigh landmark that originally opened as the city’s all-Black high school. Options include renovating the existing building with a temporary mobile campus, demolishing and rebuilding on the same site, or constructing a new school on the ballfields while students remain in place. Costs are estimated between roughly $102 million and $148 million, with timelines of about 45 to 56 months. Alumni and preservation advocates emphasize that the school’s history and its significance to the Black community should be central to the district’s decision.
What the district is proposing
District staff first presented the three scenarios to the school board’s facilities committee in December and then shared the plan at public meetings in January, receiving extensive feedback on transparency and fairness, WRAL reported. WRAL notes that the board could issue a formal recommendation as soon as February, with additional public engagement sessions planned through early spring.
The district’s facilities materials outline the three options with detailed costs and timelines. Option 1 would renovate the existing building while relocating students to a temporary mobile campus on the ballfields, with a total cost of about $102,317,529 over roughly 51 months, including $24,577,742 for the mobile campus setup and operation. Option 2 would demolish the current structure and build a new school on the hill, estimated at $147,966,807 and 56 months of work. Option 3 would construct a new school on the ballfields while students stay in the existing building, with a projected cost of $121,845,232 and a 45-month timeline, according to the Wake County Public School System.
Alumni and preservationists push back
Alumni and preservation groups have highlighted the historical significance of Ligon, noting that the campus represents more than just buildings and programs. Alum Daniel Coleman recognized the district’s efforts so far and stated that change is inevitable.
At a December listening session, community members contrasted Ligon with older white schools and expressed concerns that a full teardown could remove an important part of Southeast Raleigh’s history. Preservation Raleigh has listed Ligon on its Place in Peril list, calling for a careful, community-centered approach to any renovation or rebuild.
Costs, tradeoffs and timeline
District leaders say the campus requires work beyond basic repairs, as many of its systems are now functionally obsolete. According to the Wake County project page, design work began in September 2024, the school board has approved an increased budget of approximately $140,693,579, and construction is expected to start in September 2027 and finish in time for the 2029–30 school year.
The school board has stated it seeks community input before finalizing a plan, and local reporting indicates trustees will consider a recommendation in the coming months. The chosen option will affect not only classrooms and ballfields but also how Southeast Raleigh preserves and recognizes an important part of its history.
