Kinston Teens acquires former Lewis School site
Photos: https://www.kinstonteens.org/news/2025-08-25/lewis-school-purchase
A long-vacant elementary school in Kinston has a new future after Kinston Teens purchased the historic Lewis School property.
The youth-led nonprofit closed on the roughly 2 ½ acre site over the weekend, adding it to a growing list of strategic real estate investments aimed at tackling blight and preserving community landmarks.
“We are going to continue showing what it looks like when the community takes care of itself,” said Chris Suggs, founder and CEO of Kinston Teens. “Places like this deserve to be in the hands of people who love, live in and want the best for this community.”
Lewis School closed in the 1990s and has stood largely unused for more than three decades. Kinston Teens said the purchase ensures the property will be maintained until opportunities arise for renovation or redevelopment. Volunteers will soon be invited to help with cleanup efforts, including mowing, trimming and debris removal.
The acquisition is separate from the group’s ongoing plans for the East Kinston Neighborhood Hub, a resilience center and community space that has drawn national recognition as a finalist for the World Landscape Architecture Awards.
“This once-proud neighborhood landmark should reflect the pride and resilience of East Kinston again,” the organization said on their website.
More information, including the site’s history and volunteer opportunities, will be available at www.kinstonteens.org and www.eastkinston.org.
Founded in 2014, Kinston Teens has led projects to reduce blight, strengthen food access, promote environmental resilience and involve young people in civic engagement.
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