Vacant elementary school to debut as affordable apartment complex

Brad Pitt’s organization Make It Right is debuting the transformation of a rundown vacant metro school into new affordable housing in the urban core.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held this weekend for the former Bancroft Elementary School, but they gave an early behind-the-scenes look at the redevelopment. Kansas City, MO, Mayor Sly James and Congressman Emanuel Cleaver, II will participate in the weekend ceremony for what will now be the Bancroft School Apartments.

Local companies partnered with Make It Right to build the energy-efficient apartments located at 4300 Tracy Avenue from the school that originally opened in 1904 and then had sat empty for thirteen years.

“When the school closed it became a blight, a drain on the community. It brought things down. It didn’t help elevate it,” said Jim Nichols, the owner of Dalmark Development Group.

Crews are finishing the final touches to begin leasing the apartments to low-income families.

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