The original building’s footprint was expanded in 1964 but fell into disuse after the construction of a modern school. The building then lay vacant until 2012 when a developer initiated a large-scale renovation project to repurpose the building as apartments and contacted CPG to serve as tax credit consultants.
Commonwealth
Chatham Elementary School
Building Documentation & Scanning
Historic Building Renovation
Historic Research
Historic Tax Credit Consulting
Chatham Elementary School
Partners
Echelon Resources
Virginia Department of Historic Resources
National Park Service
Project Goals
Chatham Elementary School is a monumental, Colonial Revival Style building constructed in 1925.
Project Design
Original features were kept and emphasized to further maintain the building’s historic integrity.
The historic slate roof, which had been edging toward disrepair, was completely restored and features unique to the building were showcased including classroom cabinets, once used for schoolbooks and supplies, transformed into storage, and wherever possible, old blackboards remain affixed to building walls.
Challenges & Accomplishments
Today, the former elementary school operates as senior apartments and once again provides a tangible community benefit.
The state and federal tax credit programs help incentivize the rehabilitation of unused historic buildings like Chatham Elementary, where each new apartment was carefully configured within what used to be an individual classroom.