With the support of the entire community, an historic school that has served generations of Lake Charles students is now playing a new role for them, their children and their grandchildren.

Championed by historic preservationists and arts advocates in the early 1990s, the restoration of the Central School in Lake Charles and its transformation into the Central School Arts and Humanities Center is having what Mayor Willie L. Mount describes as "a tremendous impact" in her community. With the future of the 1912 structure in doubt after fire code violations had forced its closure, the community’s desire to save it was expressed in a number of ways, including a willingness to approve a tax levy to finance its renovation. "What is truly unique about the Lake Charles experience was that citizens were willing to freely tax themselves to save a structure that not only was historic in its architecture, but held so many memories for Lake Charles’s families," says Mayor Mount. "Today, the adaptive reuse of Central School as a thriving arts and humanities center is also a catalyst in our downtown and historic district recovery, as well as a centerpiece for tourism."

Mayor Mount, a strong supporter of historic preservation in general and the preservation of Central School in particular, took office in 1993. Following her election, the redesign and renovation of the school was launched.. The input of many of the performing and visual artists who were potential users of the building was sought prior to construction to insure that their design and space needs could be taken into consideration to the extent that the budget would allow. Working closely with a partnership that included the City, the Arts and Humanities Council of Southwest Louisiana, Calcasieu Preservation Society, individual artists and non-profit organizations, the architects were able to redesign classrooms to serve as studios, offices and conference areas that reflected the needs of those who would be using the facility on a regular basis. Modernization of auditorium instrumentation and a ticket office were among the features sought by these groups and individuals and ultimately incorporated into the building.

Central School is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is located in the heart of the Charpentier Historic District. It was designed and built by noted New Orleans architects Favrot and Livaudais, and many of their original details and materials were retained in the renovation — a skylight on the third floor, slate chalk boards, some brass handrails, a center staircase, a proscenium arch with decorative plaster over the auditorium stage, and footlight recesses on the stage, among them. The cloakroom openings remain in most classrooms, and the majority of the woodwork in the building is original. Other interesting architectural features include the original dedication cornerstone, a decorative wood and glass transom above the center door, and exterior signs executed in ornamental plaster.

The Central School Arts and Humanities Center was formally dedicated on October 1, 1997 with hundreds of people participating in that event and in other celebrations throughout that month.

The Arts and Humanities Council of Southwest Louisiana manages the building for the City and is housed in the former Principal’s Office on the main floor. Because the building was restored at public expense, the tenants are charged below-market rates — another feature which encourages the proliferation of arts development. Among current tenants are guitar and piano teachers, visual artists, a children’s theater company, photographers, the Lake Charles Symphony and Literacy Council business offices and a new Mardi Gras Museum.

The Arts and Humanities Center celebrated its first anniversary in October, and the building is now 100 percent occupied. The artists and non-profit groups now located there have been enjoying the ease of interaction the renovated space affords, and several new collaborations have been created as a result of their proximity to one another. One of these collaborations, the Art Associates Gallery, opened during the first anniversary celebration. Arts Associates donated the funds to turn a classroom space into a true gallery that will be open to the public and be available for a variety of exhibits. A local board with representatives from the Art Associates, the Arts and Humanities Council, the City and McNeese State University will jury the work which will be on display on a monthly rotation. The Gallery’s opening featured the renown photographer Michael Kenna and his work, LaNotre’s Gardens.

The Center’s new auditorium has been rented for musical and theater performances and some social functions, and its new conference space is being utilized both by tenants and outside organizations for meetings, receptions and other special events, including an Arts Fest which featured hands-on demonstrations for children.

"The restoration of Central School shows city-wide support for the arts and humanities and for historic preservation as well," says Mayor Mount. "The commitment to this project by the citizens of Lake Charles is evident in their support of the sales tax, their active participation in the celebrations of the Center, and their ever-increasing interest in the historic Charpentier District. Central School has a wonderful history of serving the citizens of Lake Charles, and we are fortunate that it now has a bright future of doing the same."

Additional information on the Central School project is available from Sara Judson, Project Specialist, Office of the Mayor, (318) 491-1201, or e-mail sjudson@mail.city- lakecharles.org