Historic School Threatened

-
We first told you about the unique Phillis Wheatley School in New Orleans, and the efforts of the World Monuments Fund to save it, back in October 2009.

The good news- the building is still there.

The bad news is the structure isn't getting any better, and a permit for demolition was recently requested.

A petition asking the Mayor of New Orleans, Mitchell Landrieu, to stop the plan to demolish the school building has been circulated. The letter cites the school's importance to the black community as well as its unique architecture. Currently the petition has nearly 1100 signatures.

Built in 1954, the school's cantilever design is unique to say the least. It takes advantage of its own footprint to provide much needed shade from the noon-day sun. A plan for a possible re-use of the site has even been proposed by DOCOMO-Louisiana.

You can help by signing the petition...

Save the Phillis Wheatley School

Comments

Post a Comment

Most Popular Posts

Visit to the Prairie Chicken House

-
Image
This unique house on the edge of Norman, Oklahoma is known to most as the prairie chicken house. Designed by Herb Greene in 1960, he preferred to call it simply the Prairie House .  Thanks to the  Prairie House Preservation Society  (PHPS) it is now possible for the public to experience one of Oklahoma's most unusual architectural treasures. 
Read more

Home of ORU Architect on the Auction Block

-
Image
Frank Wallace is best known as the man behind the futuristic look of the Oral Roberts University campus. On October 14, 2010 his unique home overlooking ORU will be sold in a public auction conducted by Mister Ed's Auctions . Jackie and I recently had a chance to visit with Mr. Wallace and learn more about the house, his career and his thoughts on architecture. When we visited we expected to snap a few photos of an empty house and speak with a representative from the auction company. To our surprise the door opened, and we were greeted by Mr. Wallace himself! After assuring him we were not architects, he let us look around. Unfortunately we were not prepared to interview the man whose buildings incite such extremely diverse reactions- but that didn't stop me from asking him several questions anyway.  The home, completed in 1980, was designed and built by Wallace who is now 87. The expansive home is so large that Wallace spends most of his time in a room that was his la...
Read more

The World Museum

-
Image
The widening of I-44 through Tulsa will soon claim another mid-century building (see Modern Homes Make Way for I-44 ). This unusual landmark near Peoria, once known as the World Museum, is being emptied in preparation for demolition. The concrete complex was built in 1963 by the Osborn Ministries as a museum and "Interstate Temple." Self-proclaimed minister, T. L. Osborn, and his wife, Daisy, traveled the world as Christian missionaries and collected art and artifacts on their journeys. The unusual La Concha-esque building housed their partial collection and distracted motorists touring along the new Skelly Bypass (aka I-44). The exterior of the building is adorned with maps of the world's continents. In its heyday there was a good deal more- a giant outline of Jesus was on one wall. The inscription below it, "REX," provided one of my earliest Latin lessons when I asked Dad why that building had my name on it. There was also a large globe that once stood out fr...
Read more