The Lewis School acquisition is a strategic real estate investment that aligns with the equitable community development goals of the East Kinston Neighborhood Hub—Maintaining local ownership of key neighborhood properties; reducing blight and restoring neighborhood pride; and stewarding land and buildings until future redevelopment opportunities emerge.
Next Steps
We don’t yet have specific redevelopment plans for the Lewis School property. For now, our focus is on ensuring the site is maintained, cleaned, and cared for, so that it no longer serves as an eyesore for the neighborhood.
We will soon update this page with history, photos, and opportunities to get involved.
Community members will be invited to volunteer for clean-up days—cutting grass, trimming hedges, and restoring the property’s appearance.
Long-term possibilities will be guided by community input, as we continue to listen through surveys, focus groups, and neighborhood meetings.
Honoring the past, investing in the future.
In August 2025, Kinston Teens acquired the Lewis School property, a former public elementary school located in East Kinston. Once a place of learning and community, the school closed in the 1990s and has sat largely vacant and blighted for decades. By purchasing this property, we are taking an important step in ensuring that East Kinston’s future remains in the hands of its residents.
We believe that community ownership is critical to community power. Without action, large and historic properties like Lewis School can easily fall into the wrong hands, leading to neglect, predatory development, or further blight. By securing this site, Kinston Teens has preserved a piece of local history while opening the door to new opportunities for revitalization.
