Guide

8 Preservation Projects Helping to Expand Education

By Madelyn Livingtson

Across the country, historic buildings of all kinds, from former factories and warehouses to historic school buildings, are being revitalized to provide critical educational opportunities to students in their communities. With funding support from the National Trust Community Investment Corporation (NTCIC), a member of the National Trust family of companies, these preservation projects have helped transform often neglected historic places into dynamic spaces for learning, creating new opportunities for students nationwide.

Over the last 26 years, NTCIC has facilitated $312 million in funding for buildings supporting primary and post-secondary education. From Head Start preschool programs and renowned charter schools to iconic college campuses, these investments are helping to shape the lives of our future generations. Take a look at the map to explore just a handful of impactful education projects supported by NTCIC.

  1. Exterior photo of the Field School, a four-story beige brick building with cream-colored detailing. This above-ground shot includes the buildings and autumnal trees around the Field School, most of which are also brick and several stories high.

    The Field School (Chicago, Illinois)

    Built in 1907, the Francis Scott Key Public School served Chicago’s South Austin neighborhood for more than a century before sitting vacant for decades. It is now the Field School, an independent elementary school helping to meet the needs of low-income students on Chicago’s West Side by providing rigorous and holistic education with a strong emphasis on arts programming, family engagement, and community revitalization for 400 local students.

    Learn More

  2. Exterior photo of Electric Works, a red brick building with black and white detailing and large glass windows. The front of the building is a single-story, high ceilinged space visible through the glass windows. The rest of the building is five stories high. Potted plants and petite trees are sprinkled around the courtyard in front of the building.

    Electric Works (Fort Wayne, Indiana)

    Fort Wayne’s Electric Works transformed the former General Electric campus into a lively 730,000+ square foot innovation district. A true live, work, play campus, Electric Works is now the global headquarters of Do It Best, as well as a variety of healthcare resources, housing, food and retail options, a school, and more. The AMP Lab at Electric Works is a half-day high school for 11th and 12th grade students, helping to bring learning to life through hands-on, real-world experiences.

    Learn More

  3. An exterior photo of the Webster Community Center, a brick building with cream-colored detailing and moulding. The photo features only one side of the building, which twenty-five smiling adults (thirteen women and twelve men) are standing in front. Each adult is wearing a white hard had and holding a metal shovel.

    Webster Community Center (Pontiac, Michigan)

    Opened in 1921 as the Webster School, the building served the Pontiac, Michigan community for nearly a century before closing. It is now the Webster Community Center, bringing a variety of critical community resources, including healthcare, childcare, and educational opportunities to this historically underserved community. In addition to housing a free Head Start preschool led by the Oakland-Livingston Human Services agency, the center is also home to Accent Pontiac, a free music education nonprofit for children, and FIRST Robotics, a STEM-focused, hands-on robotics learning program.

    Learn More

  4. Photo of the exterior of the Cleveland Institute of Art. It is a beige and glass contemporary building, four stories high, that stretches down the block. Colorful artwork featuring a chaotic scene between five illustrated, cartoonish animals is featured above the name of the college.

    Cleveland Institute of Art (Cleveland, Ohio)

    Once a Ford assembly plant, the Center gives young artists, designers, filmmakers, photographers, and coders a unique, adaptable space to hone their crafts. The 250,000 square foot space, owned by the Cleveland Institute of Art, has been a catalyst for its burgeoning neighborhood, now being called “Uptown.” The revitalized space has also allowed the school to strengthen its admissions and nearly double the number of students it can support.

    Learn More

  5. An exterior photo of Provident Health Campus, a beige four-story building that was constructed in the classical style. Corinthian pillars stand out front, above three arched doorways and four black metal lanterns. A large, detailed pediment stands above the pillars and second and third-story windows. The top of the building features a clock and a cupola.

    Provident Health (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)

    Provident Health Campus, located in the former Provident Mutual Life Insurance Company of Philadelphia building in West Philadelphia, is an integrated center that provides health, social, and educational services to the community. In an area that previously lacked adequate access to schools serving kindergarten through fourth grade, the project is now home to KIPP Philadelphia Octavius Catto Elementary, a 400-student charter school.

    Learn More

  6. Photo of the exterior of KIPP Durham, a three-story red brick building with an arched doorway. A large tree stands in front of the college, as does a sign that reads "KIPP: Durham College Prep Public School" in blue lettering on a beige background.

    KIPP Durham (Durham, North Carolina)

    KIPP Durham Charter School opened in 2016 at the renovated former Holloway Street School. Serving roughly 600 sixth through eighth grade students, the school has given neighborhood children better access to local, high-quality educational opportunities. The school has also generated around 75 full-time and part-time jobs, making it a catalyst for growth and change in a historically underinvested community.

    Learn More

  7. Photo of the exterior of Chicora Graded School, which will be rehabilitated and reopened as Cristo Rey. It is a two-story red brick building with an arched doorway. A metal chain-link fence stands in front of it.

    Cristo Rey (Charletson, South Carolina)

    Opened in 1935, the former Chicora Graded School will be rehabilitated into Cristo Rey, a college preparatory high school serving exclusively low-income students from the greater Charleston region. The school combines rigorous college preparatory coursework with a corporate work study model that allows students to gain real‑world professional experience while offsetting the cost of tuition. Ultimately, this school model creates an education environment intentionally structured to expand access to opportunities for underserved families.

    Learn More

  8. Photo of the exterior of Crosstown Concourse, a beige, L-shaped building complex that stands ten to twelve stories high.

    Crosstown Concourse (Memphis, Tennessee)

    After sitting vacant for over 20 years, 1 million square feet of Memphis’ historic Sears Roebuck distribution center and store were revitalized to create a mixed-use vertical urban village with roots in arts, education, and healthcare. Crosstown Concourse’s scale and versatility have made it the perfect home for Crosstown High, a public charter high school, as well as several educational organizations, including Teach for America and the Memphis Education Fund.

    Learn More

The National Trust Community Investment Corporation (NTCIC), a subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, is a mission-driven, impact investment asset management firm focused on the adaptive reuse of historic properties and renewable energy solutions across the country. Founded in 2000, NTCIC makes transformational impact investments in low-income & disinvested communities, promoting a brighter, more equitable future by revitalizing historic properties and expanding our nation’s renewable energy accessibility through innovative community development & tax credit investment strategies.

Madelyn Livingston is the marketing coordinator for NTCIC, a subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

8 Preservation Projects Helping to Expand Education

8 Places
  1. 1
    Exterior photo of the Field School, a four-story beige brick building with cream-colored detailing. This above-ground shot includes the buildings and autumnal trees around the Field School, most of which are also brick and several stories high.
    Exterior photo of the Field School, a four-story beige brick building with cream-colored detailing. This above-ground shot includes the buildings and autumnal trees around the Field School, most of which are also brick and several stories high.

    The Field School (Chicago, Illinois)

    Built in 1907, the Francis Scott Key Public School served Chicago’s South Austin neighborhood for more than a century before sitting vacant for decades. It is now the Field School, an independent elementary school helping to meet the needs of low-income students on Chicago’s West Side by providing rigorous and holistic education with a strong emphasis on arts programming, family engagement, and community revitalization for 400 local students.
  2. 2
    Exterior photo of Electric Works, a red brick building with black and white detailing and large glass windows. The front of the building is a single-story, high ceilinged space visible through the glass windows. The rest of the building is five stories high. Potted plants and petite trees are sprinkled around the courtyard in front of the building.
    Exterior photo of Electric Works, a red brick building with black and white detailing and large glass windows. The front of the building is a single-story, high ceilinged space visible through the glass windows. The rest of the building is five stories high. Potted plants and petite trees are sprinkled around the courtyard in front of the building.

    Electric Works (Fort Wayne, Indiana)

    Fort Wayne’s Electric Works transformed the former General Electric campus into a lively 730,000+ square foot innovation district. A true live, work, play campus, Electric Works is now the global headquarters of Do It Best, as well as a variety of healthcare resources, housing, food and retail options, a school, and more. The AMP Lab at Electric Works is a half-day high school for 11th and 12th grade students, helping to bring learning to life through hands-on, real-world experiences.
  3. 3
    An exterior photo of the Webster Community Center, a brick building with cream-colored detailing and moulding. The photo features only one side of the building, which twenty-five smiling adults (thirteen women and twelve men) are standing in front. Each adult is wearing a white hard had and holding a metal shovel.
    An exterior photo of the Webster Community Center, a brick building with cream-colored detailing and moulding. The photo features only one side of the building, which twenty-five smiling adults (thirteen women and twelve men) are standing in front. Each adult is wearing a white hard had and holding a metal shovel.

    Webster Community Center (Pontiac, Michigan)

    Opened in 1921 as the Webster School, the building served the Pontiac, Michigan community for nearly a century before closing. It is now the Webster Community Center, bringing a variety of critical community resources, including healthcare, childcare, and educational opportunities to this historically underserved community. In addition to housing a free Head Start preschool led by the Oakland-Livingston Human Services agency, the center is also home to Accent Pontiac, a free music education nonprofit for children, and FIRST Robotics, a STEM-focused, hands-on robotics learning program.
  4. 4
    Photo of the exterior of the Cleveland Institute of Art. It is a beige and glass contemporary building, four stories high, that stretches down the block. Colorful artwork featuring a chaotic scene between five illustrated, cartoonish animals is featured above the name of the college.
    Photo of the exterior of the Cleveland Institute of Art. It is a beige and glass contemporary building, four stories high, that stretches down the block. Colorful artwork featuring a chaotic scene between five illustrated, cartoonish animals is featured above the name of the college.

    Cleveland Institute of Art (Cleveland, Ohio)

    Once a Ford assembly plant, the Center gives young artists, designers, filmmakers, photographers, and coders a unique, adaptable space to hone their crafts. The 250,000 square foot space, owned by the Cleveland Institute of Art, has been a catalyst for its burgeoning neighborhood, now being called “Uptown.” The revitalized space has also allowed the school to strengthen its admissions and nearly double the number of students it can support.
  5. 5
    An exterior photo of Provident Health Campus, a beige four-story building that was constructed in the classical style. Corinthian pillars stand out front, above three arched doorways and four black metal lanterns. A large, detailed pediment stands above the pillars and second and third-story windows. The top of the building features a clock and a cupola.
    An exterior photo of Provident Health Campus, a beige four-story building that was constructed in the classical style. Corinthian pillars stand out front, above three arched doorways and four black metal lanterns. A large, detailed pediment stands above the pillars and second and third-story windows. The top of the building features a clock and a cupola.

    Provident Health (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)

    Provident Health Campus, located in the former Provident Mutual Life Insurance Company of Philadelphia building in West Philadelphia, is an integrated center that provides health, social, and educational services to the community. In an area that previously lacked adequate access to schools serving kindergarten through fourth grade, the project is now home to KIPP Philadelphia Octavius Catto Elementary, a 400-student charter school.
  6. 6
    Photo of the exterior of KIPP Durham, a three-story red brick building with an arched doorway. A large tree stands in front of the college, as does a sign that reads "KIPP: Durham College Prep Public School" in blue lettering on a beige background.
    Photo of the exterior of KIPP Durham, a three-story red brick building with an arched doorway. A large tree stands in front of the college, as does a sign that reads "KIPP: Durham College Prep Public School" in blue lettering on a beige background.

    KIPP Durham (Durham, North Carolina)

    KIPP Durham Charter School opened in 2016 at the renovated former Holloway Street School. Serving roughly 600 sixth through eighth grade students, the school has given neighborhood children better access to local, high-quality educational opportunities. The school has also generated around 75 full-time and part-time jobs, making it a catalyst for growth and change in a historically underinvested community.
  7. 7
    Photo of the exterior of Chicora Graded School, which will be rehabilitated and reopened as Cristo Rey. It is a two-story red brick building with an arched doorway. A metal chain-link fence stands in front of it.
    Photo of the exterior of Chicora Graded School, which will be rehabilitated and reopened as Cristo Rey. It is a two-story red brick building with an arched doorway. A metal chain-link fence stands in front of it.

    Cristo Rey (Charletson, South Carolina)

    Opened in 1935, the former Chicora Graded School will be rehabilitated into Cristo Rey, a college preparatory high school serving exclusively low-income students from the greater Charleston region. The school combines rigorous college preparatory coursework with a corporate work study model that allows students to gain real‑world professional experience while offsetting the cost of tuition. Ultimately, this school model creates an education environment intentionally structured to expand access to opportunities for underserved families.
  8. 8
    Photo of the exterior of Crosstown Concourse, a beige, L-shaped building complex that stands ten to twelve stories high.
    Photo of the exterior of Crosstown Concourse, a beige, L-shaped building complex that stands ten to twelve stories high.

    Crosstown Concourse (Memphis, Tennessee)

    After sitting vacant for over 20 years, 1 million square feet of Memphis’ historic Sears Roebuck distribution center and store were revitalized to create a mixed-use vertical urban village with roots in arts, education, and healthcare. Crosstown Concourse’s scale and versatility have made it the perfect home for Crosstown High, a public charter high school, as well as several educational organizations, including Teach for America and the Memphis Education Fund.
  1. 1
    Exterior photo of the Field School, a four-story beige brick building with cream-colored detailing. This above-ground shot includes the buildings and autumnal trees around the Field School, most of which are also brick and several stories high.
    Exterior photo of the Field School, a four-story beige brick building with cream-colored detailing. This above-ground shot includes the buildings and autumnal trees around the Field School, most of which are also brick and several stories high.

    The Field School (Chicago, Illinois)

    Built in 1907, the Francis Scott Key Public School served Chicago’s South Austin neighborhood for more than a century before sitting vacant for decades. It is now the Field School, an independent elementary school helping to meet the needs of low-income students on Chicago’s West Side by providing rigorous and holistic education with a strong emphasis on arts programming, family engagement, and community revitalization for 400 local students.
  2. 2
    Exterior photo of Electric Works, a red brick building with black and white detailing and large glass windows. The front of the building is a single-story, high ceilinged space visible through the glass windows. The rest of the building is five stories high. Potted plants and petite trees are sprinkled around the courtyard in front of the building.
    Exterior photo of Electric Works, a red brick building with black and white detailing and large glass windows. The front of the building is a single-story, high ceilinged space visible through the glass windows. The rest of the building is five stories high. Potted plants and petite trees are sprinkled around the courtyard in front of the building.

    Electric Works (Fort Wayne, Indiana)

    Fort Wayne’s Electric Works transformed the former General Electric campus into a lively 730,000+ square foot innovation district. A true live, work, play campus, Electric Works is now the global headquarters of Do It Best, as well as a variety of healthcare resources, housing, food and retail options, a school, and more. The AMP Lab at Electric Works is a half-day high school for 11th and 12th grade students, helping to bring learning to life through hands-on, real-world experiences.
  3. 3
    An exterior photo of the Webster Community Center, a brick building with cream-colored detailing and moulding. The photo features only one side of the building, which twenty-five smiling adults (thirteen women and twelve men) are standing in front. Each adult is wearing a white hard had and holding a metal shovel.
    An exterior photo of the Webster Community Center, a brick building with cream-colored detailing and moulding. The photo features only one side of the building, which twenty-five smiling adults (thirteen women and twelve men) are standing in front. Each adult is wearing a white hard had and holding a metal shovel.

    Webster Community Center (Pontiac, Michigan)

    Opened in 1921 as the Webster School, the building served the Pontiac, Michigan community for nearly a century before closing. It is now the Webster Community Center, bringing a variety of critical community resources, including healthcare, childcare, and educational opportunities to this historically underserved community. In addition to housing a free Head Start preschool led by the Oakland-Livingston Human Services agency, the center is also home to Accent Pontiac, a free music education nonprofit for children, and FIRST Robotics, a STEM-focused, hands-on robotics learning program.
  4. 4
    Photo of the exterior of the Cleveland Institute of Art. It is a beige and glass contemporary building, four stories high, that stretches down the block. Colorful artwork featuring a chaotic scene between five illustrated, cartoonish animals is featured above the name of the college.
    Photo of the exterior of the Cleveland Institute of Art. It is a beige and glass contemporary building, four stories high, that stretches down the block. Colorful artwork featuring a chaotic scene between five illustrated, cartoonish animals is featured above the name of the college.

    Cleveland Institute of Art (Cleveland, Ohio)

    Once a Ford assembly plant, the Center gives young artists, designers, filmmakers, photographers, and coders a unique, adaptable space to hone their crafts. The 250,000 square foot space, owned by the Cleveland Institute of Art, has been a catalyst for its burgeoning neighborhood, now being called “Uptown.” The revitalized space has also allowed the school to strengthen its admissions and nearly double the number of students it can support.
  5. 5
    An exterior photo of Provident Health Campus, a beige four-story building that was constructed in the classical style. Corinthian pillars stand out front, above three arched doorways and four black metal lanterns. A large, detailed pediment stands above the pillars and second and third-story windows. The top of the building features a clock and a cupola.
    An exterior photo of Provident Health Campus, a beige four-story building that was constructed in the classical style. Corinthian pillars stand out front, above three arched doorways and four black metal lanterns. A large, detailed pediment stands above the pillars and second and third-story windows. The top of the building features a clock and a cupola.

    Provident Health (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)

    Provident Health Campus, located in the former Provident Mutual Life Insurance Company of Philadelphia building in West Philadelphia, is an integrated center that provides health, social, and educational services to the community. In an area that previously lacked adequate access to schools serving kindergarten through fourth grade, the project is now home to KIPP Philadelphia Octavius Catto Elementary, a 400-student charter school.
  6. 6
    Photo of the exterior of KIPP Durham, a three-story red brick building with an arched doorway. A large tree stands in front of the college, as does a sign that reads "KIPP: Durham College Prep Public School" in blue lettering on a beige background.
    Photo of the exterior of KIPP Durham, a three-story red brick building with an arched doorway. A large tree stands in front of the college, as does a sign that reads "KIPP: Durham College Prep Public School" in blue lettering on a beige background.

    KIPP Durham (Durham, North Carolina)

    KIPP Durham Charter School opened in 2016 at the renovated former Holloway Street School. Serving roughly 600 sixth through eighth grade students, the school has given neighborhood children better access to local, high-quality educational opportunities. The school has also generated around 75 full-time and part-time jobs, making it a catalyst for growth and change in a historically underinvested community.
  7. 7
    Photo of the exterior of Chicora Graded School, which will be rehabilitated and reopened as Cristo Rey. It is a two-story red brick building with an arched doorway. A metal chain-link fence stands in front of it.
    Photo of the exterior of Chicora Graded School, which will be rehabilitated and reopened as Cristo Rey. It is a two-story red brick building with an arched doorway. A metal chain-link fence stands in front of it.

    Cristo Rey (Charletson, South Carolina)

    Opened in 1935, the former Chicora Graded School will be rehabilitated into Cristo Rey, a college preparatory high school serving exclusively low-income students from the greater Charleston region. The school combines rigorous college preparatory coursework with a corporate work study model that allows students to gain real‑world professional experience while offsetting the cost of tuition. Ultimately, this school model creates an education environment intentionally structured to expand access to opportunities for underserved families.
  8. 8
    Photo of the exterior of Crosstown Concourse, a beige, L-shaped building complex that stands ten to twelve stories high.
    Photo of the exterior of Crosstown Concourse, a beige, L-shaped building complex that stands ten to twelve stories high.

    Crosstown Concourse (Memphis, Tennessee)

    After sitting vacant for over 20 years, 1 million square feet of Memphis’ historic Sears Roebuck distribution center and store were revitalized to create a mixed-use vertical urban village with roots in arts, education, and healthcare. Crosstown Concourse’s scale and versatility have made it the perfect home for Crosstown High, a public charter high school, as well as several educational organizations, including Teach for America and the Memphis Education Fund.

Travel with us on an epic trip along Historic Route 66, and help preserve an iconic piece of Americana.

Learn More