Russell School - A New Life for an Old Building

This month my Council Comments is a tour of the Russell Community Center and Russell School Apartments.  Russell School has a long and distinguished history in Lexington.  Located at 5th and Toner, the site is near the original Colored School No. 1.  In the 1950’s a school was built on the present site and named for G.P. Russell, a prominent African-American educator.  It was the last school to be built in Lexington before integration.

The school closed in 2003 and sat empty for 8 years.  However, the dream of the community to save the school became the charge of the Community Action Council and the Urban League of Lexington who united forces to renovate the school.  The classrooms are used for a state-of-the art Head Start and Early Head Start program and the former gym is used for 27 affordable housing apartments for seniors or those with disabilities.

This gem of the community has found new life and brought new life to the community.  Much thanks to the Community Action Council and the Urban League of Lexington for their hard work and dedication.  You can watch my Council Comments here.