When her children were small, Barbara worked in the cafeteria at Page Woodson School. Today she walks the halls as a resident of the newly opened Page Woodson Apartments.
Developers have breathed new life into one of Oklahoma City’s most historic school buildings. Originally built in the early 1900s, Page Woodson once held stature as a focal point of Oklahoma City’s black community. After closing in 1993 as Page Woodson Fifth Grade Center, the once stately school building was nearly lost to neglect and vandalism.
New Page, LLC was awarded a maximum of $1 million in four percent Affordable Housing Tax Credits and a maximum of $25 million in tax-exempt multi-family bonds to convert the former Page Woodson School, 600 N. High Ave. in Oklahoma City, into 68 apartments and to construct a new building to house an additional 68 apartments on the same property. All 136 units must be rented to residents earning no more than 60 percent of the area median income.
Taking the existing architecture of the building, no two apartment units are alike.Barbara’s apartment features restored chalkboards and plenty of natural lighting that she loves. The long hallways offer a place to walk no matter the weather. Her hope is that Page Woodson acts as a catalyst to revive the once thriving Black community.
