A Hopkinsville organization seeking to turn a historic high school into a community center has hit a setback after the building’s roof collapsed.
Men 2 Be, a nonprofit that focuses on giving young men skills and education for their futures, purchased Hopkinsville’s old Attucks High School building in 2024.
Attucks originally opened in 1916 as the first – and only – school in Christian County that would serve Black students. In 1967, Attucks was integrated and converted into a middle school in 1967 before it was ultimately closed in 1988.
LaDessa Lewis, co-founder of Men 2 Be, said a storm had taken off a piece of the roof two years before the nonprofit purchased the school building. Over the next four years, the elements took their toll on the old school. Lewis said the roof collapsed in May, and put a hard stop on the school’s renovations due to code violations.
“But in order to save this building, we have to get the roof secured. And when it fell in, it kind of bowed the walls. So we're working on getting those secured,” said Lewis.
This structural damage has brought a sense of urgency to the project. Lewis said trucks are parked outside of the walls to help keep the structure stable. The organization has a goal of $200,000 for the roof repair.
Lewis said the project is about more than repairing a building that’s over 100 years old.
“It's not just about preserving bricks and mortar. It's about preserving history, creating opportunity [and] building a future,” Lewis said.
Overall, Lewis said Men 2 Be aims to raise $1.5 million for the whole Attucks renovation project. The group has scheduled some events to help chip away at this goal – including a gala on Saturday. Additionally, Lewis said the organization has received $300,000 in historic tax credits.
Once the renovations are done, the center will be open to the public. But Lewis said Men 2 Be’s mission of mentoring and building up the community’s young people will be at the heart of the project.
“Our young people are the future,” Lewis said. “Our goal is to equip them with the practical skills, at least, [for] employment, financial stability and generational success.”
