ROANOKE, Va. – A nearly century-old building in Roanoke, known to many as the former main office of Roanoke City Public Schools, is set to undergo a major transformation.
The site, however, holds deeper significance for the community as it originally served as an all-Black high school built in 1928. Roanoke City Public Schools held a ceremony Friday to commemorate its historical importance and celebrate its future as a Community Empowerment Center.
More than just buildings, nearly a century’s worth of Roanoke’s history sits here.
“We’re here to honor the past as we build the future. And that means, really, this is a site that is by the community, for the community,” said Dr. Verletta White, Roanoke City School Superintendent.
The building first served as Lucy Addison High School and later as Booker T. Washington Junior High. It was repurposed into the central office of Roanoke City Public Schools in 1971 following integration. Dr. White emphasized the importance of preserving the building’s history while setting it up to make a generational impact.
“The Gainsboro community is a community that has a rich history, and we know that it’s also one that went through urban renewal. And so we want to make sure that we are preserving the history of this building, that we are setting it up again, making a generational impact,” Dr. White said.
Local historian Jordan Bell spoke during the brick removal ceremony, highlighting the building’s historical significance to the Roanoke community.
“What makes us who we are is our history and what we’ve been through and go through. And so this building is a very historical building in the Roanoke community. And I think that image and feel is going to continue with the Empowerment Center,” Bell said.
The ceremony provided an opportunity for former students and community members to reminisce by flipping through old yearbooks and sharing memories. Bell noted that many generations, including his grandmother and uncle, attended the school.
Renovations are set to begin on March 24. While the annex building must be removed due to structural concerns, the main building and gymnasium will be preserved.
“Not only preserved. It will be reimagined. And it’s a promise to our community, a promise made and a promise kept that we would continue to serve the community in the ways that they have asked for,” Dr. White said.
The new community empowerment center aims to connect students, families, and the community with the resources needed to thrive.
