The future of Mt. Zion looks promising as owners of Red Clay Development LLC outlined a plan on how to use the abandoned school house that they closed on last month.

Red Clay Development co-owner Frank Warlick said a security fence will be placed around the building in the next few weeks, followed by demolition beginning in late January or early February. Construction is expected to begin in May.

The entire construction process is expected to be completed within 12 months., Warlick said.

Once renovated, the building will include a wellness center, art school and theater.

“We have it 100 percent rented, we just haven’t started executing leases yet,” Warlick said.

The Mt. Zion Institute belonged to the Town of Winnsboro prior to the December sale.

“The property was given to the public school system in the mid-20th century, and it was used as a grammar school,” explained Bubba Lyles, treasurer/secretary for the Mt. Zion Society. “Sometime in the 1990s, the society asked for it back because it wasn’t being used. The Society gave it to the Town about five years ago to find a use for the building.”

When the Fairfield County School District returned the property to the Society, a settlement of $120,000 accompanied the building.

“The legal settlement was for damages the school district let occur over a period of years when the building was vacant,” Lyles said.

The Mt. Zion Society used $12,000 of the settlement to secure the building, because vandals were constantly entering the old school.

The remainder of the money – $108,000 – was given to the Town of Winnsboro when it took over ownership of the property. Lyles said the check was dated April 20, 2008.

Since 2008, the Town has used the funds to pay for lawn maintenance, engineering studies and legal fees. Portions of the money were also spent to board up windows to keep vandals out.

“There was never any trust fund,” said Mayor Roger Gaddy.

The settlement, according to both the mayor and some council members, was not earmarked on how it could be spent. Therefore, the Town could use proceeds from the settlement on the upkeep, maintenance or renovation of the building.

One council member even went as far as to say that the Town would be in the hole, if all of the expenses relating to Mt. Zion were itemized.

But Lyles disagrees with the Town regarding how the money could be spent.

“It was my understanding that the money was to be used for research and developing a plan to salvage the building,” he said.

Warlick said his company is not looking to receive any proceeds from the settlement.

“We did not receive any money and we don’t know if any money is coming our way,” he said. The Charlotte-based company uses personal as well as federal money to restore properties.

Despite differences on how the money should have been spent, all parties involved with the building are looking forward to seeing the building restored.

“Once finished, it will be one of the finest buildings in Winnsboro,” Warlick said.

Once renovated, the old school house will be listed on the National Register of Historical Places.

Before Red Clay purchased Mt. Zion, the Town had entered into an agreement with Carolina Wrecking in Columbia to tear the old school down.