Powell School
Birmingham, AL
Birmingham, AL
Our abatement division assisted the Alabama Trust for Historic Preservation with the cleanup of Powell School after a fire erupted in the building on January 7, 2011. Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service was able to bring the fire under control, and while the roof and upper floor collapsed, the building remained structurally sound and plans restore it were made. Our technicians were brought in to first remove the debris and then to perform asbestos abatement on the floor tiles and mastic. The work was completed on time and on budget and our team was proud to be a part of preserving the oldest surviving school in the Birmingham City Schools system.
The Powell School, originally known as the free school, was constructed in 1888 but the school’s history stretches back to the first school constructed on the site, the southwest corner of 24th St. and 6th Ave. N., in 1874. The school closed in 2001 and was used as a teaching lab for a while but was vacant by the time of the fire.
Developers seeking to restore and redevelop the 16,944 square-foot building were recently awarded a $3.7 million federal loan to undertake the project. Integral Group plans to convert the building into 24 units of studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments.