A group effort to build an adult literacy center in South Hall has been revived.

Oakwood, Lanier Technical College and the Hall County government and school system are working on a plan to build the center off Thurmon Tanner Parkway, a new section of road under construction between Plainview and Mundy Mill roads in Oakwood.

The project hinges largely on applying for and getting a state Community Development Block Grant.

Talks between the interested parties have been “really encouraging,” City Manager Stan Brown said. “It seemed like we were all on the same page trying to make something happen.”

Oakwood, taking the lead on the project, was poised earlier this year to seek a $500,000 grant, but backed off after realizing that site preparation costs alone would hit that mark.

“Chances are we probably wouldn’t have gotten the grant, but even if we did, we couldn’t build what was needed,” Brown said.

The process to seek the grant began earlier this year, with meetings taking place among the various entities.

“We have basically looked at coming up with a partnership to make this thing happen,” Brown said.

City officials showed a map to City Council earlier this month showing the potential layout for the project.

The learning center would be built on about 2 acres off Thurmon Tanner and a proposed 1,100-foot road that would run between Allen Street and Thurmon Tanner.

“We would work with the school district on providing right of way and whatever site improvements they may need to get to get better access to Thurmon Tanner,” Brown said.

“We would ask the county to build the road, we would do the design and the city and the school system would provide right of way.”

As for the road itself, “the terrain is challenging,” Brown said. “It’s about an 8 percent grade but ... we think, with a good land plan, we can make this happen.”

The road would come out on Allen Street between Edge Wrecker and Oakwood Elementary School. Thurmon Tanner, which is behind schedule and won’t be finished by a Dec. 31 completion date, is undeveloped.

City Councilman Gary Anderson said he could see how the new road would benefit the school system.

“If they can access Thurmon Tanner with their buses, as opposed to Main Street, that would eliminate a lot of problems,” he said.

Roadways are cramped around the school, particularly at Main and Academy streets.

Brown said he hopes to return to City Council in January or February with a recommendation concerning a preliminary design, “enough where we can get a cost estimate” for the project.

“If we don’t get the grant, we may not be able to move forward with the road,” he said.

Grant applications are due in April. The Georgia Department of Community Affairs oversees the grants, which are designed to benefit mainly low- to moderate-income residents.

The new center would offer literacy classes, GED instruction and English for non-native speakers.

Brenda Thomas, Lanier Tech’s associate vice president for adult education, has said the project “will provide expanded space to enroll more students and make classes more accessible” to South Hall residents.

Last year, the Hall County Adult Learning Center at 4 1/2 B Stallworth St. in Gainesville provided services for some 2,000 students.

Linda Barrow, vice president for academic affairs at Lanier Technical College, has said, “We are flat out of space in the (Gainesville) location. We have got to do something.”