Our Historic Building

The Community Empowerment Center at Booker T. Washington is located in a building rooted in nearly 100 years of history. RCPS has worked with the community on several projects to ensure this history is preserved and lives on for generations to come.

A Legacy of Education and Resilience

Located at 40 Douglass Avenue NW, the building opened in 1928 as Lucy Addison High School, built to serve Black students during segregation. Named for Lucy Addison, a pioneering Black educator who expanded secondary education opportunities for African American students, the school was a source of pride, achievement, and leadership in Northwest Roanoke.

In 1952, following the construction of a new Lucy Addison High School on 5th Street (now Lucy Addison Middle School), the original building was renamed Booker T. Washington Junior High School. After integration in 1971, the building became Roanoke City Public Schools’ Central Office, a role it served for more than 50 years.

Today, the building begins a new chapter as the RCPS Community Empowerment Center, carrying forward its legacy of service to students, families, and the Roanoke community.

Preserving Our History

As part of the building’s transformation into the Community Empowerment Center, RCPS has been intentional about preserving its historical importance and honoring the students and educators who have walked through these doors, through several commemorative projects:

• Virginia Landmarks Register Listing: In June 2025, the building was officially added to the Virginia Landmarks Register, the Commonwealth of Virginia's list of places of historic, architectural, and cultural significance. RCPS submitted the application with unanimous support from the Roanoke City School Board. The building is also being considered for the National Register of Historic Places.
• Highway Marker Honoring Lucy Addison: The Virginia Department of Historic Resources approved a state historical highway marker honoring Lucy Addison. RCPS submitted the nomination, which was supported by the School Board and Roanoke City Council. The marker will be installed in fall 2025 at the corner of Burrell Street and Orange Avenue. Its text will highlight Miss Addison’s role in advancing Black education in Roanoke and Virginia. Lucy Addison High School was the first building in Roanoke to be named after one of its citizens.
• History Wall: Inside the Community Empowerment Center, RCPS will install a history wall to share the story of the building, the broader history of Roanoke City Public Schools, and the educators and students who helped shape both.
• "Legacy Voices" Video Series: RCPS is also producing a Legacy Voices video series, featuring interviews with former students, educators, and community members who attended or worked in the building over the decades. These stories will preserve memories and perspectives that shaped generations of Roanokers.
• Commemorative Brick Event: A small annex building that was built on the property in 1937 for trades programs was removed in March 2025 due to structural concerns. Before this took place, RCPS held an event to share more about the forthcoming Center with neighbors and honor the small annex's historical significance. RCPS provided bricks from the building to former students and educators.