The Douglass at Page Woodson: Richard H. Driehaus Foundation National Preservation Awards Winner
Channel: National Trust for Historic Preservation
Date: 2018-11-15

The restoration and adaptation of Page Woodson School into affordable apartments marks a vibrant cultural renewal in Oklahoma City. In a public-private partnership, the badly decayed 1910 school house—renamed for abolitionist Frederick Douglass when it became an all-black high school in 1934—underwent extensive restoration and now accommodates 60 affordable apartments and a community auditorium. Developed by Colony Partners and SCG Development and designed by Smith Dalia Architects, the restoration capitalized on the building’s outstanding Classical Revival red brick, rich artisanal ornamentation, and educational themes to give this affordable housing solution a distinguished architectural identity. Oklahoma City’s Ambassador's Concert Choir has started planning to connect the community to the historic auditorium, which once hosted such personalities as jazz great Duke Ellington and Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall. Learn more: https://savingplac.es/2RVB5NE