Page Woodson School

[Pete]

[baralheia]

Wow, that's looking really good with the new windows installed! I'm excited to see how this phase of the project will turn out once it's complete!

[Pete]

Awesome photos posted with the permission of Johnson & Associates; you can see the next phase has already started to the north.

[Architect2010]

So much opportunity in this area. And now you have this urban precedence acting as an eastern bookend to all of this undeveloped and under-developed land, bookended with Deep Deuce/Bricktown to the west and the OU HSC to the north.

Dreamworthy. 😪

[traxx]

Pete, will you be posting interior photos once this is finished?

[Pete]

Pete, will you be posting interior photos once this is finished?

Yes!

Can't wait to get inside as they are restoring the auditorium and common areas.

[traxx]

Yes!

Can't wait to get inside as they are restoring the auditorium and common areas.

like

[Pete]

[warreng88]

Woodson remodelers hope community will take a seat

By: Molly M. Fleming The Journal Record April 5, 2017

OKLAHOMA CITY – Scaffolding fills the auditorium at the former Page Woodson School. Old wooden seats lie on the metal bars. Other seats are piled in the balcony. Spray paint dots the walls between the spots where the paint has chipped or been removed. But Progress OKC Director Neila Crank-Clements knows the space can be grand again.

“We want it to be a cultural and community center,” she said. “We want to host TED talks or Juneteenth or ONE OKC festival, or other community-type events.”

It will take about $500,000 to transform the auditorium into a modern-day space. Progress OKC has received some grants to help with the task, but those won’t cover all the needs. Developer Ron Bradshaw is covering the costs to make the space theater-ready. But his budget doesn’t include expenses such as audiovisual equipment.

The organization is selling seats as a way to raise money for those necessities. People can purchase name plaques to be put on a new cushioned seat that will be installed once the auditorium is complete. About new 700 chairs will be put into the room.

Between 350 and 400 plaques will be sold to raise $175,000. The auditorium can start hosting events this summer.

“We really want the community to buy into this project,” she said.

Being able to reach the neighboring area with this fundraiser was a challenge, said Crank-Clements. Progress OKC didn’t want to price the seats too high and potentially keep the community from being a part of this historic project. Yet, they did have to raise money for the stage equipment; otherwise, the space may not be as viable.

Crank-Clements said they looked at other similar fundraisers and found the $500 price tag could make the money they need and get people to support the project.

A few plaques have been sold to date, she said.

Getting this space finished and updated could be a huge morale booster for northeast Oklahoma City, said Shannon Entz, director of the city of Oklahoma City’s Strong Neighborhoods Initiative. The SNI-supported Culbertson’s East Highland is near Page Woodson.

She said a new auditorium will be valuable to the area for different gatherings, such as jazz or music events that have never been able to occur because there is no desirable location.

“Anytime you can have a safe location that has good audiovisual equipment that has been modernized, you’ll have good attendance,” she said. “People want to see something new and shiny, but it will create a sense of pride. That’s something northeast Oklahoma City needs right now.”

[Ross MacLochness]

This is great! This development is pretty exciting.

[Spartan]

If Oklahoma was smart they could make every single LIHTC deal look like this. I would say this type of product is at least half of the allocations in OH or PA.

[Laramie]

Lived across the street from Page-Woodson growing up in the OKC Oak Park Addition.

Recall many of the riot-ending school years when Moon Jr., High School operated there. F. D. Moon was the principal at the time. Desks were being thrown out the upper floor windows in the late 50s--this was a custom on the last day of school. My mother owned and operated the diner just west of Page-Woodson (across the street) on High Street.

It's a great feeling to see this iconic structure spared/redeveloped; this was truly a beacon in the northeast community just north of Washington Park.

Now if they could do something with Dunbar Elementary...

[Pete]

Site plan from Gardner Architects shows the proposed future phases of this project:

[Pete]

Great photos courtesy of Johnson & Assoc:

[Pete]

[Plutonic Panda]

They need to do a P180 but for the area North East Central side.

[Canoe]

I need to see this one in person

[Pete]

[baralheia]

Oh man, that looks AMAZING! Will they be offering any walkthroughs to see the building once it's complete?

[Pete]

Oh man, that looks AMAZING! Will they be offering any walkthroughs to see the building once it's complete?

Sure, as they will have a leasing office with someone to show people around.

It's really turning out great.

[Urbanized]

I took a tour with ULI Oklahoma a couple of weeks ago, led by the development group and Stan Lingo. It's simply incredible.

[Bits_Of_Real_Panther]

Is this going to be an island of redevelopment? I don't see many nearby amenities, but am not very familiar with the area, plus they have some min and max income restrictions I have heard the residents will be put through.

[Pete]

A look all around at renovated Page Woodson school

Now formally known as The Douglass at Page Woodson, the former Douglass High and Page Woodson school is wrapping up redevelopment and new construction in near northeast Oklahoma City.

Located just south of the OU Health Sciences Center in the JFK neighborhood, the original school was built in 1934 and had been abandoned for years before local developer Ron Bradshaw started work.

The auditorium has been remodeled and will be open for community use.

The apartments in the school and the new construction to the immediate east feature high ceilings, some skyline views, hardwood floors and modern appliances.

There are several studios, 1- and 2- bedroom units available.

Future plans call for more new construction surrounding the old school.

Contact 405-239-1226 for leasing information.

[HangryHippo]

Those huge windows are amazing.

[Pete]

We are getting spoiled but this project ranks way, way up there.

It's absolutely gorgeous after being a disgusting, neglected blight for quite a while.