The Best Adaptive Re-Use Award is given to a project that is an exemplary example of a creative, innovative, and appropriate re-use of a historic structure. The current use of the building must differ from its historical use.

HISTORIC KANSAS CITY is pleased to present the Best Adaptive Re-use Award for Excellence to the Zhou B Art Center.

The school district built the Attucks School in 1905 for the area’s growing Black population. It was the neighborhood grade school until 1990, when a new Attucks school was built. For over three decades there were several attempts to repurpose the school, but none of them worked out.

The project team wanted to create a new arts center and began with extensive community engagement. People liked the idea of putting it near 18th and Vine. There had been a lot of deterioration, but they wanted to keep the historic fabric where possible. When replacement was necessary, they tried to match the historic material. They repurposed the former classrooms as artists' studios. They turned the former auditorium into a grand performance space and moved the main entrance to 18th Street to connect the new center to the Jazz District.

Historic Kansas City proudly honors the Zhou B Art Center with the Best Adaptive Re-use Award for Excellence.

Congratulations to the project team! For more details visit https://ow.ly/wCm550U9ynR
#historickc #preservation #HKC #preservationawards, #HKC Zhou B Art Center Historic Kansas City

Our St. Regis Apartments won an award for Best Contribution to Affordable Housing Through Preservation Award for 2024!

Congrats to everyone on our team!