THE SERIES

Preservation Durham recently presented its annual Neighborhood Conservation Awards and George and Mary Pyne Preservation Awards. Over the coming weeks, The Herald-Sun will feature each of the projects.

TODAY

The Neighborhood Conservation Award goes to Durham Public Schools, Durham County, the City of Durham and Duke University Health Systems for their work with Holton Resource & Career Center/East Durham Junior High School, c. 1939

Preservation Durham

DURHAM -- Four years ago, the future of the old Holton Middle School lay in balance -- on the verge of being sold or simply given away to a willing taker by Durham Public Schools.

Fortunately, a group of North-East Central Durham neighborhood leaders dared to dream outside the box, and came up with the vision to convert the old building into a multi-function community facility.

What evolved from this vision is a groundbreaking community partnership between Durham Public Schools, Durham County, the City of Durham, the Parks and Recreation Department, and Duke University Health Systems.

Following two years of planning and construction, the new Holton Resource and Career Center has been up and running for almost a year and provides significant vocational education, health services and recreation activities to the Durham community.

Originally constructed in 1939 by the Federal Works Agency's Public Works Administration as East Durham Junior High School, the structure was later renamed Holton Middle School.

The school eventually ceased operations when the Durham City and County school systems merged to form Durham Public Schools in 1992.

For the subsequent decade, the Communities in Schools Academy operated its enrichment program at the location until ending operations in 2002.

The school now offers vocational training for up to 400 high school students in areas that range from barbering and carpentry to business management and computer programming.

A reported 117 students enrolled for classes last year, and this number is expected to increase this year.

Residents of all ages can take advantage of programs and activities including sporting events, summer camps, after-school programs, instructional classes and community events. A 2,600-square-foot wellness center on the first floor provides physical exams, preventive testing and counseling, well-baby check-ups and routine immunizations to more than 6,000 patients a year.

While the Holton School's positive community impact is evident, from a preservation perspective, the sympathetic rehabilitation of this Art Moderne-style two-story brick school is also a success story.

To preserve the original 3-bay entrance pavilion with its stone detailing and original stairwell, the main entrance was relocated to the rear of the school, which also allowed for handicap access and closer proximity to parking.

While restrooms were modernized to meet today's building codes, and classrooms upfitted as laboratories and workshops for the variety of skills being offered and the development of a state of the art health clinic, extra care was taken to maintain and enhance the historic features of both the auditorium and gymnasium.

The original auditorium seats were saved in place with new upholstery added.

The gymnasium bleachers were refurbished and serve as a welcome complement to the updated athletic court.

When judging this project and how closely it follows the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation, it really couldn't have done a better job at adhering to Standard No. 1 which states that: "A property shall be used as it was historically, or be given a new use that requires minimal change to its distinctive materials, features, spaces and spatial relationships."

From restoring life to an abandoned and endangered property to providing a wide range of much-needed community services, the Holton School project is truly a preservation and adaptive reuse success.