RED SCHOOL HOUSE

We are One Pride in Fayetteville

Fayetteville ISD’s iconic red building slated for renovations.

After several years of planning and fundraising, Fayetteville Independent School District’s red, two-story school building is finally getting the transformation it needs to become a functional space again. Built in 1911 by a proud community as a focal point for education in Fayetteville, today her hallways are quiet and her water-damaged classrooms are used for storage instead of students.

“It’s a project that a lot of people throughout the community wanted; to see the red building restored and brought back to life,” said Fayetteville ISD Superintendent Dr. Jeff W. Harvey. “When I got here six years ago, people talked about renovating it. They had raised some money and had a small account set up. What people don’t understand is you can raise five thousand dollars, and that’s great, but what we’re looking at is a million-dollar project. When we found ourselves under budget by five hundred and fifty thousand, well, that’s when the board started talking about the red building. We saved enough over the last couple of years that we can use the combination of those monies to actually go in and do the renovations.”

Along with resolving safety and structural issues, plans include the addition of modern amenities to upgrade the inside of the building. Harvey understands the scope of the project and insists on taking the time to do it right.

“Both the architect and contractor are well prepared to bring the building back to life,” shared Harvey. “We want to make sure we’re in the twenty-first century but still capture that 1911 feel of the building on the outside. We intend on putting an elevator in it so people can come upstairs for board meetings and making it a functional space for the school. We plan to tie in a vestibule between it and the main building for a walkway. We’ll open it up some and make sure we put a library downstairs along with open study hall rooms. If we could complete it by the start of next school year, I would be thrilled, but I’m smart enough to know it’ll probably take an entire calendar year to complete it.”

In today’s throw-away society, Fayetteville’s red school building project shines as a remarkable example of a community valuing their history and taking advantage of the gifts they already possess. Home of the mighty Lions, the school district works hard to instill that same appreciation for deep roots into each student.

“Our motto here is we are one pride,” said Harvey. “Any time you can bring the past to the present and have it ready for the future it shows great pride in our community and our district. The folks around here have been very generous to the school district and, when we go into this project, we’re cognizant of all the people that have come before us and we want to make sure we leave their legacy intact as we propel forward. It will be a great sense of pride and accomplishment once it is completed, but we want to make sure it is done right and representative of our past.”

Fayetteville ISD’s red building is located at 618 North Rusk Street. We’re cognizant of all the people that have come before us and we want to make sure we leave their legacy intact as we propel forward.

Dr. Jeff W. Harvey