Dec. 6—City Councilors unanimously voted Monday evening to approve the purchase of Stillwater's historic Black school. The goal is to preserve the original building so community members can improve the property to be used for education, historical displays, sports recreation, events and parking.

Originally built in 1908, Booker T. Washington School is one of three remaining Black schools in Oklahoma and the only one with the potential to be preserved, according to Preservation Oklahoma's 2022 Most Endangered Places list.

According to Preservation Oklahoma, African America and Afro-Indigenous people were among the earliest settlers in Indian Territory. In the first half of the 20th century, Oklahoma was home to more than 50 Black schools. The school alumni commonly refer to it as Washington School is the only remaining structure documenting the history of Black Stillwater.

"It's really exciting, this has been a topic of conversation for a long time in the community," Stillwater Mayor Will Joyce said. "I know there are folks out there who are already planning what can be done in terms of funding to bring this back to something we can display and show the history."

According to City staff, there will be no financial impact for the transaction to acquire the property thanks to an anonymous donation.

The donor will give $250,000 to the City of Stillwater to purchase the property. Primeland Properties LLC is also willing to sell the property for $250,000, far less than the appraised market value of $923,810. Upon completion of the sale, the City will provide the seller with a tax donation letter for the balance of the property's appraised value.

City Manager Norman McNickle shared that the Washington School Alumni have been a part of the discussion around saving the school.

"From our past experience with facilities, generally the public is better at running a building, particularly that one," McNickle said. "It would be our intent to enter into a MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) with the (Washington School) alumni association to do just that."

Preservation Oklahoma's list of endangered places shares that Black history is underrepresented in the built landscape of Oklahoma and that architectural surveys have determined the eligibility for National Register of Historic Places status. However, no nomination has been made by the current owner — a key requirement for approval that could significantly help fund restoration.

Mayor Joyce noted that the City is only acquiring the property and hasn't set aside funds to renovate it or demolish the additions made to the property long after it was a segregated school.

McNickle said the City does not have the funds to fully renovate the building and take care of other issues — like flooding — but they could clean up the property to make it more presentable and less of an eye sore.

"Some initial clean up to make it look better than it does today, those kinds of things I think we can accomplish, but in terms of long term investment, that's going to take awhile," McNickle said.

The property is located within a 100-year floodplain. All renovations must meet Federal Emergency Management Agency requirements, according to an addendum in the commercial real estate contract. The seller also disclosed that small amounts of asbestos are present on the property.

The building located at 619 West 12th Ave. has been vacant for decades. The most recent effort to develop the property was in 2012. The property owner requested the lot be rezoned from Public to Office. City Council approved the zoning change based on a series of pledges the owner made to acknowledge the location's historical significance.

The addendum also states the City of Stillwater, as the buyer, acknowledges that on Jan. 19, 2012, the Stillwater City Council approved rezoning the property from Public to Office. That approval was based on a series of pledges made by the seller:

—Seller will allow a six-by-six foot area for the erection of a plaque or memorial to Booker T. Washington School.

—Seller will donate $2,000 toward the memorial.

—Seller will donate 3,000 bricks from the School for the use of the School alumni.

—Seller will provide a 60-day notice to the School alumni group prior to the demolition of the School building.

As the buyer, the City acknowledged and agreed to fill the pledges as they may apply to the City's future use of the property. The parties also agreed the pledges are only applicable if the original school is demolished.

According to the addendum, the purchase will only go through if the $250,000 donation has been made and the buyer acknowledges the past and present condition of the property and with no warranty provided by the seller.