Saving 1916’s Huntington High School --- AGAIN!
An objective of The Alliance is a “re-restoration” and the attainment of proper, ongoing upkeep of 8th Street’s original Huntington High School. Although it is not overly noticeable if simply driving by, this 1916 architectural confection has declined considerably inside and out in the last several years. Below is a brief Alliance Newsletter article overviewing the topic. This neglect can be reversed and The Alliance intends to see that happen.
Huntington feature writer, Clint McElroy, authored an article on what was a remarkable collaborative restoration and adaptive reuse of Huntington High for a 2001 issue of Huntington Quarterly. You can read it by following this link: https://www.huntingtonquarterly.com/articles/issue42/renaissance.html
Reversing a Landmark’s Decline
The former Huntington High School is a stunning example of neoclassical architecture that has stood on 8th Street since 1916. The school closed in 1996, but what followed was initially hailed as a triumph of historic preservation and adaptive reuse. In 1991, the building underwent a $3.5 million renovation, returning the structure to active community use.
For many years, the building was shared by the Huntington YMCA, Arts Resources for the Tri-State (ARTS), and the Huntington Development Corporation. The space included 42 apartments for senior citizens, theatrical production facilities, classrooms, conference spaces, and gymnasiums.
Unfortunately, the building has fallen into disrepair. ARTS left when its contract ended, citing a lack of ongoing maintenance. The YMCA continues to maintain its section, but other areas — including ARTS’ former spaces and even the magnificent exterior — have been left neglected. The auditorium’s original oil paintings are now threatened by water damage.
Alliance Board Member Bob Hansen is leading a fact-finding effort to determine what went wrong and what can be done to restore this Southside landmark. For a building with such architectural and historical significance to fall into a state of filth and disrepair — inside and out — is unacceptable to The Alliance.