WINCHESTER, Va. — The Winchester School Board unanimously approved $9.7M in funding for the historic Douglas School renovation in addition to $2.5 million previously approved.
Douglas School educated Black students from Winchester and Frederick and Shenandoah counties from 1927 to 1966.
The building is on the Virginia Landmarks Register and the National Register of Historic Places. It is a one-story, red brick building with a four-columned, Classical Revival style entry.
In addition to converting the vacant building into school offices, there will be a museum dedicated to Douglas School’s history at the entrance.
Parking lots will be added on the south side of the building and near the new garage bays, and a walking trail on the north side of the structure will link North Kent Street to Douglas Park, which is directly behind the property.
A groundbreaking ceremony for the project was held in November, with the 1950s and 1960s section of the building demolished in March. Construction is set to be completed by August 2022.
Winchester-based Howard Shockey & Sons is the project’s general contractor. Design is by CJMW Architecture of Lynchburg.
Source: Winchester Star. See the full story here.