HOPKINSVILLE, KY (CHRISTIAN COUNTY NOW) – Miranda Construction and HCL Demolition started removing the back portion of the historic Attucks High School building on Monday.
Demolishing the rear section is a planned first step in the Attucks Revive to Thrive initiative to restore Hopkinsville’s first and only Black high school, which was built in 1916, according to a news release.
“This is a visible, meaningful step forward for Attucks,” Eric Coleman, CEO of WB Properties and chairman of the Revive to Thrive steering committee, said in the release.
Men 2 Be, the nonprofit that was gifted the building in 2024, partnered with WB Properties in August to lead the restoration. Crews will work strategically over the next week to remove this portion of the building and close up the new exterior wall. The next phase will include re-roofing the south wing.
Jason Browning of Miranda Construction and Kevin Brumley of HCL Demolition will be on site to supervise the team removing the gutters, walls, wood and more. “We’ll save all the brick and stone for them so they can reuse it,” Brumley said.
How to support Attucks restoration
The Attucks Revive to Thrive steering committee is working to engage potential donors, alumni and community partners to reach its $1 million fundraising goal. So far, donor pledges have reached $200,000.
“We encourage anyone who wants to see this building restored to contribute to the capital campaign in whatever amount they can,” Coleman said. “Every little bit will get us to completion.”
Giving levels range from Friends of Attucks, at $19.16 to $100, to the $10,000-plus Attucks Legacy Society, which includes prominent lobby naming rights. Some levels also include an engraved brick on the restored main walkway.
What’s next for Attucks
Once the renovation is finished, Attucks will serve as a community hub, with a focus on education, entrepreneurship, health and wellness and bringing attainable housing to the Eastside neighborhood.
Men 2 Be Executive Director LaDessa Lewis invited the community to come see the process and prepare for the next phase. “If you have not had a chance, drive by, take in this moment and envision what is to come,” she said. “What looks like demolition is really the beginning of restoration.”
For more information or to make a donation, visit wbpropertiesse.com.
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