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Richard W. Wolfe Apartments open at Dunson School

With a $3.2 million HUD grant, DASH rescues an old school slated for demolition and converts it into a stunning 28-apartment complex for low income seniors.

DASH for LaGrange held dedication services at the historic Dunson School in southeast LaGrange on Sept. 14, 2007, introducing the renovated building as the Richard W. Wolfe Apartments at Dunson School. Using a $3.2 million Section 202 grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), DASH for LaGrange rehabilitated the community school into a stunning 28-apartment complex for low income senior citizens.

Built in 1939, the historic Ivey & Crook structure had been set for demolition when DASH intervened to save it in 2004. The City of LaGrange agreed to donate the building to DASH if the nonprofit agency could come up with funds to renovate it. Within a year, DASH won the HUD grant earmarked for low income senior housing and rescued the old school.

Designated for seniors 62 and older whose annual income averages $9,000, the one-bedroom apartments feature EnergyStar® appliances, original 12 foot ceilings, and ample living and dining areas. All apartments have a full kitchen and a full bath; 21 units are located on the ground level while seven are on the garden level. The complex features a community room with an adjoining prep kitchen to accommodate light food preparation for special events. An outdoor patio area is enjoyed by family and friends for special activities and visits.

The complex is named for Richard W. Wolfe, who for 14 years was plant manager at Dunson Mill, the major employer at the former textile mill village. Wolfe and his late wife Marian lived in the Dunson Mill village with their four children, including DASH founder Ricky Wolfe, who all attended Dunson Elementary School.

“All my roots are at Dunson where I was born and raised in a three-room cotton mill house,” says the elder Wolfe. “I was heartbroken when I heard they were going to push down the old school. It was really a landmark, the center of the community.” Like others throughout the Dunson community and LaGrange, Wolfe was overjoyed when the school building was spared.

“The Dunson building is a cherished piece of architecture and an important part of LaGrange’s history,” says Cathy Smith, DASH director of Planning and Resource Development. “We are so pleased that we could find such a wonderful new purpose for the structure. This is the first HUD rehabilitation project of its kind in Georgia, so it is significant on many levels.”

The mission of DASH is to revitalize and make sustainable LaGrange's once vibrant neighborhoods by eliminating substandard housing, creating socio-economic diversity, encouraging home ownership, inviting economic development and engaging residents in active community leadership. For additional information about DASH or its initiatives, contact us at (706) 298-0221 or visit online at http://www.dashlagrange.com.

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