Janay Reece came back home to Baltimore to join WJZ in August 2023. Before coming back to the Charm City, Janay was a morning anchor and reporter for WDBJ7 in Roanoke, VA. She joined the WDBJ7 morning team after spending a year as a multimedia journalist in the New River Valley for the station.

Cherry Hill residents are demanding that Baltimore City leaders take action and take care of a South Baltimore vacant school building -- the former New Era Academy.

Dozens met last Friday to discuss solutions to secure the deteriorating 21-acre building from burglaries and other crimes.

"It's a landmark to me, because it's been here all my life," said Robert Hines, a longtime Cherry Hill resident.

Hines had lived in Cherry Hill for his entire life and had seen how New Era Academy became what it is today.

"I went here when it was Cherry Hill Junior High. I went there from the 7th to the 9th, and I saw a change to middle school and then to a high school," Hines said. "Never had a high school with Cherry Hill, so it was the first high school in Cherry Hill. I made a lot of new friends who are still lifelong friends today. It's going to always be Cherry Hill Junior High to me."

Jean Falcon is a lifelong Cherry Hill resident and said she also attended the school.

"The good old days -- you did not want to be called to the office," said Jean Falcon, a longtime Cherry Hill resident.

Falcon explained that she, like many others, was sad to see Baltimore City School Board leaders vote to close the school in 2022.

Since then, Falcon said that the building has fallen into disrepair, becoming a big safety concern for those who live around the massive building.

"They go in and do other things and do drugs. They've found needles and other things, people just sleeping there," Falcon said.

"It's been vandalized, it's been set on fire, and it's just falling to the wayside," Hines said.

Hana Hawthorne, who works with Progressive Maryland, a statewide nonprofit advocacy organization, met with dozens of neighbors like Falcon at the school to discuss and press for immediate steps to secure the building, address hazards, and protect families who live nearby.

"That's what I have heard over and over again - people want this school to become something equitable, something that gives back to the Cherry Hill community," Hawthorne said.

Baltimore City Board of School Commissioner Ashley Esposito also met with Cherry Hill residents on Friday to hear their concerns.

"Folks in Cherry Hill have put so much heart into making sure any future development really reflects the community's needs and vision," Esposito said. "One thing that's come up again and again is the need for a safe space where kids can just be kids, something more like a Boys & Girls Clubs of America model, since the current rec center only allows youth with adult supervision."

"It's a lot of space, and it's a lot that can be done with this space that's going to benefit the community, whether it's health-wise, continued education-wise, or the substance abuse arena, things of that nature," Hines added. "Any positive use of the building would be fine with me."

Neighbors told WJZ that they are working with Esposito to come up with ideas on what to do with the building. Hawthorne said they're in the process of planning a bigger community meeting in the coming weeks.

According to Baltimore City Schools, securing vacant school buildings, such as the former New Era Academy, is a significant undertaking.

A spokesperson for City Schools explained that they have taken multiple steps to protect the property, including using reinforced materials to secure doors, windows, and other openings. All utilities -- gas, water, and electricity -- have also been shut off to reduce safety risks such as gas leaks, fires, and flooding.

"Despite these measures, challenges remain. Our priority is always the safe operation of our more than 130 active school buildings, but we continue to explore additional ways to deter unauthorized activity at vacant sites. City Schools works closely with Baltimore City School Police to respond when alerts come in," a spokesperson for City Schools wrote in a statement to WJZ.

According to City Schools, 43 City School Police reports have been filed related to this property, including cases of arson, burglary, and disorderly conduct since 2024.

At the community's request, City Schools has issued a Call for Proposals for the New Era Academy property.

The proposal process is now underway and is currently being reviewed.

More information can be found here.

City Schools said that their goal is to identify a partner who can both support the creation of a new City Schools high school and develop the land in ways that align with community needs.

Cherry Hill residents concerned about safety from vacant South Baltimore school