The historic Orr School in Texarkana, Arkansas, is set to receive a boost in funding for redevelopment through a $1.5 million Brownfields Assessment Coalition Grant awarded to the Ark-Tex Council of Governments (ATCOG). This grant, provided by the Environmental Protection Agency, aims to support environmental assessments, cleanup planning, reuse planning, and community engagement activities in Miller County and several cities in Northeast Texas, including Omaha, Paris, Atlanta, and DeKalb.

Background and Significance

The Orr School, built around 1880 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is notable for having been attended by the renowned ragtime composer Scott Joplin. The school is currently owned by the City Federation of Colored Women’s Clubs of Texarkana. The grant represents an opportunity for the region to redevelop sites that have been complicated by the presence or potential presence of hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants, known as Brownfields properties.

According to Mary Beth Rudel, ATCOG’s executive director, this award is an exciting opportunity for the region, as Brownfields sites, while challenging, hold significant potential for redevelopment and can support economic growth and improve the quality of life for local communities. Besides the Orr School, other identified sites for redevelopment include a former medical office in Omaha, the former Booker T. Washington School in Atlanta, the former Paris Regional Medical Center, and the former DeKalb City Hall.

Original reporting: Texarkana Gazette — read the source article.