Tucson Region
Arizona Daily Star
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 08.17.2009
Contract to renovate Dunbar is
awarded
The Pima County Board of
Supervisors awarded a contract early this month to
begin the renovation of the historic Dunbar School.
The $821,600 project relies on
county historic preservation bond funds.
The project is a piece of a
larger effort to convert the once-segregated school,
built in 1918 at 325 W. Second St., into a black
cultural and educational center.
The school was named after
renowned black poet Paul Lawrence Dunbar.
After segregation was eliminated,
the school was renamed John Spring Junior High
School. It was closed in 1978.
Neto's Tucson by Ernesto
Portillo Jr.
Tucson, Arizona | Published:
06.01.2008
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Visit the Photo Album to see
the progress of the renovations! |
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Message from The
Dunbar Coalition
 Welcome
to The Dunbar Project! Here
is a brief summary on the progress of the renovation and
restoration of our beloved Dunbar School.
We signed an $870,000 contract in
January 2007 to rehabilitate and restore the two-story
middle portion of the building. Work was completed in
October and includes.
- First Floor
- Dance Academy
- Barber Academy
- Food Service and Catering
Academy
- New Board Room and Green Room
- Second Floor
- Stubbed out electrical,
plumbing and mechanical for future completion
- Glazed windows and secured
all entry and exit points, including the roof
- Re-roofed the entire building
- Tied roof to exterior walls
to meet code requirements
- Fire alarm and sprinkler
system (for entire building)
In addition to the above, we're
working with the Pima County Cultural Resources and Historic
Preservation Office to plan and design the third phase of
the project, the African American Museum. We hope to sign a
construction contract for the museum in the latter part of
2008. We have the 2004 Pima County Bond Election funds, $1.2
million, to start the project. We're also working with staff
from the city of Tucson and Pima County to include $1
million for the Dunbar Project in the county's 2008 Bond
Election.
The Coalition is partnering with the
Arizona Historical Society on its Rio Nuevo Project. If all
goes according to plan we will receive a $1 million
pass-through of Rio Nuevo funds, which we will use for
Buffalo Soldier exhibits at the museum.
We had our most successful golf
tournament during the 2007 Memorial Day Weekend, raising
more than $10,000. And, Dunbar has been selected by Tucson
Electric Power Co. to be a solar building. TEP has installed
four solar grids on Dunbar's roof that will reduce our
utility bill by approximately $100 each month.
Remember to make Dunbar your favorite
charity for charity truly begins at home.
Cressworth C. Lander, President
The Dunbar Coalition |
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