Old School Square is located in a historic area at 51 North Swinton Avenue in Delray Beach, Florida, United States. The 5-acre site is at the corner of Atlantic Avenue and Swinton Avenue, anchoring Delray's downtown shopping district. The campus includes restored early 20th century school buildings, formerly Delray Elementary and Delray High School, which were re-adapted as the Cornell Art Museum, Crest Theatre and Fieldhouse. The campus also includes the Pavilion in the center grounds, which is an outdoor entertainment stage with grass seating area, as well as the Old School Square Park just to the east. A City of Delray Beach parking garage is located adjacent to the park.
The first construction on the site was the erection of Delray Elementary School in 1913, at the corner of Atlantic and Swinton Avenues. The school served white students in grades 1–12. As the city's population grew, it became necessary for the school to grow, and Delray High School was constructed on the same site, north of the Delray Elementary, in 1925. Eventually, the city's population grew to the point at which these two schools were no longer sufficient and plans were drawn to build a new high school north of town, which became first Seacrest High School, and then Atlantic High School after the racial integration in schools resulting from the civil rights movement. Delray High's last graduating class was the class of 1949. When the new school opened, Delray Elementary expanded to fill both buildings on the old campus.
As time passed, the buildings of Delray Elementary increasingly fell into disrepair, and the Palm Beach County School Board abandoned the campus in the mid-1980s. A new elementary school opened in the western part of the city in 1988, S.D. Spady Elementary School. A group of concerned citizens, led by members of the Delray Beach Historical Society, started an initiative to preserve and restore the buildings of the former Delray Elementary and Delray High schools. They recognized the cultural value of preserving buildings that had been an integral part of the city's history. More importantly, they saw that the buildings possessed the potential to be transformed into a new cultural arts center for the area. Furthermore, the renovation of the site was seen as a spearhead for the reinvigoration of the whole downtown area- which at the time had barely a 30 percent occupancy rate.
In 1986, the 4-acre (16,000 m2) site was incorporated as Old School Square, Inc. Plans for renovation of the buildings commenced. In 1988, Delray Elementary was closed and the property was acquired by the city of Delray Beach. On March 10 of that year "Delray Beach Schools" was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. By 1990, the first phase of the project was complete, as the Cornell Museum of Art & American Culture opened in the original Delray Elementary School building. Furthermore, the exterior renovation of the high school building was completed. Three years later, in 1993, the Crest Theatre opened for its first season in the former high school auditorium, which had been converted and modernized into a modern professional venue for the performing arts. In 1998, renovation of the Crest Theatre was completed as the work on the classrooms was finished, and they were opened to the public.
As the first phase of a new 10 year master plan for expansion, an outdoor entertainment pavilion opened in 2002, complete with a concession building. Covered loggias enclose the grassy seating area.
The Cornell Art Museum at Old School Square is located in the 1913 Delray Elementary School building and features 7 exhibition galleries and a Museum Store. Exhibits rotate every 4 months and focus on contemporary art by nationally and internationally recognized artists from around the U.S. The Museum also presents monthly "Art Walk" exhibits dedicated to showcasing South Florida artists.
The Crest Theatre at Old School Square is located in the 1925 Delray High School building and presents professional performances including musical theatre, comedy, family shows and Broadway cabaret. The Crest lecture series features national speakers and a variety of topics.
Credit for the data above is given to the following website:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_School_Square
© All Rights Reserved - you may not use this image in any form without my prior permission.
Tags: Old School Square 51 N Swinton Avenue Delray Beach Florida USA Crest Theatre Delray High School building Cornell Art Museum National Register of Historic Places Delray Elementary Pavilion historical Old Florida Palm Beach County city cityscape urban downtown skyline South Florida density central business district skyscraper building architecture commercial property cosmopolitan metro metropolitan metropolis Sunshine State real estate high-rise Henry Flagler Molino Del Rey
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Delray Beach is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The population of Delray Beach was estimated at 68,749 in 2017. That is up from 60,522 according to the 2010 United States Census. Situated 52 miles north of Miami, Delray Beach is in the Miami metropolitan area, which was home to an estimated 6,012,331 people in 2015.
In 1894 William S. Linton, a Republican U.S. Congressman for Saginaw, Michigan, bought a tract of land just west of the Orange Grove House of Refuge and began selling plots in what he hoped would become a farming community. Initially, this community was named after Linton. In 1896 Henry Flagler extended his Florida East Coast Railroad south from West Palm Beach to Miami, with a station at Linton.
The Linton settlers established a post office and a store and began to achieve success with truck farming of winter vegetables for the northern market. A hard freeze in 1898 was a setback, and many of the settlers left, including William Linton. Partly in an attempt to change the community's luck, or to leave behind a bad reputation, the settlement's name was changed in 1901 to Delray, after the Detroit neighborhood of Delray ("Delray" is the anglicized spelling of "Del Rey", which is Spanish for "of the king"), which in turn was named after the Mexican–American War's Battle of Molino del Rey.
By the early 1960s, Delray Beach was becoming known for surfing. Atlantic Avenue was the biggest seller of surfboards in Florida at the time. Delray Beach's surfing fame increased somewhat serendipitously after a 1965 shipwreck. During Hurricane Betsy, the 441 feet (134 m) freighter Amaryllis ran aground on Singer Island, creating a windbreak that formed perfectly breaking waves. The ship was dismantled three years later, yet local surfers have retained an association with the area.
In the 1970s, Interstate 95 between Palm Beach Gardens and Miami was fully completed and development began to spread west of the city limits. This pattern continued and accelerated through the 1980s, as downtown and many of the older neighborhoods fell into a period of economic decline.
Revitalization of some historic areas began during the last decade of the twentieth century, as several local landmark structures were renovated. These include the Colony Hotel and Old School Square (the former campus of Delray Elementary School and Delray High School, since turned into a cultural center). The city also established five Historic Districts, listed in the Local Register of Historic Places, and annexed several other historic residential neighborhoods between U.S. Route 1 and the Intracoastal Waterway in an effort to preserve some of the distinctive local architecture.
In 2001, the historic home of teacher/principal Solomon D. Spady was renovated and turned into the Spady Cultural Heritage Museum. The Spady Museum houses black archives. In 2007 the museum was expanded by renovating a 1935 cottage as a Kid's Cultural Clubhouse, and the construction of a 50-seat amphitheater named for C. Spencer Pompey, a pioneer black educator.
Downtown Delray, located in the eastern part of the city, along Atlantic Avenue, east of I-95 and stretching to the beach, has undergone a large-scale renovation and gentrification. The Delray Beach Tennis Center has brought business to the area. It has hosted several major international tennis events such as the April 2005 Fed Cup (USA vs. Belgium), the April 2004 Davis Cup (USA vs. Sweden), the Delray Beach International Tennis Championships (ATP Event), and the Chris Evert / Bank of America Pro Celebrity.
Atlantic Community High School was rebuilt in 2005 on a different site from the previous school, a plan which was met with much contention.
When DayJet operated from 2007 to 2008, its headquarters were in Delray Beach.
From 2009 to 2012, Pet Airways had its headquarters in Delray Beach.
In 2012, Rand McNally "Best of the Road" named Delray Beach America's Most Fun Small Town. Delray Beach was rated as the 3rd Happiest Seaside Town in America by Coastal Living in 2015.
Credit for the data above is given to the following website:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delray_Beach,_Florida
© All Rights Reserved - you may not use this image in any form without my prior permission.
Tags: Delray Beach Palm Beach County city cityscape urban downtown skyline South Florida density central business district building architecture commercial property cosmopolitan metro metropolitan metropolis Sunshine State real estate high-rise condominium historic historical old Florida residential historic downtown William S. Linton historic district America's Most Fun Small Town 3rd Happiest Seaside Town in America street photography
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Delray Beach is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The population of Delray Beach was estimated at 68,749 in 2017. That is up from 60,522 according to the 2010 United States Census. Situated 52 miles north of Miami, Delray Beach is in the Miami metropolitan area, which was home to an estimated 6,012,331 people in 2015.
In 1894 William S. Linton, a Republican U.S. Congressman for Saginaw, Michigan, bought a tract of land just west of the Orange Grove House of Refuge and began selling plots in what he hoped would become a farming community. Initially, this community was named after Linton. In 1896 Henry Flagler extended his Florida East Coast Railroad south from West Palm Beach to Miami, with a station at Linton.
The Linton settlers established a post office and a store and began to achieve success with truck farming of winter vegetables for the northern market. A hard freeze in 1898 was a setback, and many of the settlers left, including William Linton. Partly in an attempt to change the community's luck, or to leave behind a bad reputation, the settlement's name was changed in 1901 to Delray, after the Detroit neighborhood of Delray ("Delray" is the anglicized spelling of "Del Rey", which is Spanish for "of the king"), which in turn was named after the Mexican–American War's Battle of Molino del Rey.
By the early 1960s, Delray Beach was becoming known for surfing. Atlantic Avenue was the biggest seller of surfboards in Florida at the time. Delray Beach's surfing fame increased somewhat serendipitously after a 1965 shipwreck. During Hurricane Betsy, the 441 feet (134 m) freighter Amaryllis ran aground on Singer Island, creating a windbreak that formed perfectly breaking waves. The ship was dismantled three years later, yet local surfers have retained an association with the area.
In the 1970s, Interstate 95 between Palm Beach Gardens and Miami was fully completed and development began to spread west of the city limits. This pattern continued and accelerated through the 1980s, as downtown and many of the older neighborhoods fell into a period of economic decline.
Revitalization of some historic areas began during the last decade of the twentieth century, as several local landmark structures were renovated. These include the Colony Hotel and Old School Square (the former campus of Delray Elementary School and Delray High School, since turned into a cultural center). The city also established five Historic Districts, listed in the Local Register of Historic Places, and annexed several other historic residential neighborhoods between U.S. Route 1 and the Intracoastal Waterway in an effort to preserve some of the distinctive local architecture.
In 2001, the historic home of teacher/principal Solomon D. Spady was renovated and turned into the Spady Cultural Heritage Museum. The Spady Museum houses black archives. In 2007 the museum was expanded by renovating a 1935 cottage as a Kid's Cultural Clubhouse, and the construction of a 50-seat amphitheater named for C. Spencer Pompey, a pioneer black educator.
Downtown Delray, located in the eastern part of the city, along Atlantic Avenue, east of I-95 and stretching to the beach, has undergone a large-scale renovation and gentrification. The Delray Beach Tennis Center has brought business to the area. It has hosted several major international tennis events such as the April 2005 Fed Cup (USA vs. Belgium), the April 2004 Davis Cup (USA vs. Sweden), the Delray Beach International Tennis Championships (ATP Event), and the Chris Evert / Bank of America Pro Celebrity.
Atlantic Community High School was rebuilt in 2005 on a different site from the previous school, a plan which was met with much contention.
When DayJet operated from 2007 to 2008, its headquarters were in Delray Beach.
From 2009 to 2012, Pet Airways had its headquarters in Delray Beach.
In 2012, Rand McNally "Best of the Road" named Delray Beach America's Most Fun Small Town. Delray Beach was rated as the 3rd Happiest Seaside Town in America by Coastal Living in 2015.
Credit for the data above is given to the following website:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delray_Beach,_Florida
© All Rights Reserved - you may not use this image in any form without my prior permission.
Tags: Delray Beach Palm Beach County city cityscape urban downtown skyline South Florida density central business district building architecture commercial property cosmopolitan metro metropolitan metropolis Sunshine State real estate high-rise condominium historic historical old Florida residential historic downtown William S. Linton historic district America's Most Fun Small Town 3rd Happiest Seaside Town in America street photography
© All Rights Reserved
Delray Beach is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The population of Delray Beach was estimated at 68,749 in 2017. That is up from 60,522 according to the 2010 United States Census. Situated 52 miles north of Miami, Delray Beach is in the Miami metropolitan area, which was home to an estimated 6,012,331 people in 2015.
In 1894 William S. Linton, a Republican U.S. Congressman for Saginaw, Michigan, bought a tract of land just west of the Orange Grove House of Refuge, and began selling plots in what he hoped would become a farming community. Initially, this community was named after Linton. In 1896 Henry Flagler extended his Florida East Coast Railroad south from West Palm Beach to Miami, with a station at Linton.
The Linton settlers established a post office and a store, and began to achieve success with truck farming of winter vegetables for the northern market. A hard freeze in 1898 was a setback, and many of the settlers left, including William Linton. Partly in an attempt to change the community's luck, or to leave behind a bad reputation, the settlement's name was changed in 1901 to Delray, after the Detroit neighborhood of Delray ("Delray" being the anglicized spelling of "Del Rey", which is Spanish for "of the king"), which in turn was named after the Mexican–American War's Battle of Molino del Rey.
By the early 1960s Delray Beach was becoming known for surfing. Atlantic Avenue was the biggest seller of surfboards in Florida at the time. Delray Beach's surfing fame increased somewhat serendipitously after a 1965 shipwreck. During Hurricane Betsy, the 441 feet (134 m) freighter Amaryllis ran aground on Singer Island, creating a windbreak that formed perfectly breaking waves. The ship was dismantled three years later, yet local surfers have retained an association with the area.
In the 1970s, Interstate 95 between Palm Beach Gardens and Miami was fully completed and development began to spread west of the city limits. This pattern continued and accelerated through the 1980s, as downtown and many of the older neighborhoods fell into a period of economic decline.
Revitalization of some historic areas began during the last decade of the twentieth century, as several local landmark structures were renovated. These include the Colony Hotel and Old School Square (the former campus of Delray Elementary School and Delray High School, since turned into a cultural center). The city also established five Historic Districts, listed in the Local Register of Historic Places, and annexed several other historic residential neighborhoods between U.S. Route 1 and the Intracoastal Waterway in an effort to preserve some of the distinctive local architecture.
In 2001, the historic home of teacher/principal Solomon D. Spady was renovated and turned into the Spady Cultural Heritage Museum. The Spady Museum houses black archives. In 2007 the museum was expanded by renovating a 1935 cottage as a Kid's Cultural Clubhouse, and the construction of a 50-seat amphitheater named for C. Spencer Pompey, a pioneer black educator.
Downtown Delray, located in the eastern part of the city, along Atlantic Avenue, east of I-95 and stretching to the beach, has undergone a large-scale renovation and gentrification. The Delray Beach Tennis Center has brought business to the area. It has hosted several major international tennis events such as the April 2005 Fed Cup (USA vs. Belgium), the April 2004 Davis Cup (USA vs. Sweden), the Delray Beach International Tennis Championships (ATP Event), and the Chris Evert / Bank of America Pro Celebrity.
Atlantic Community High School was rebuilt in 2005 on a different site from the previous school, a plan which was met with much contention.
When DayJet operated from 2007 to 2008, its headquarters were in Delray Beach.
From 2009 to 2012, Pet Airways had its headquarters in Delray Beach.
In 2012, Rand McNally "Best of the Road" named Delray Beach America's Most Fun Small Town. Delray Beach was rated as the 3rd Happiest Seaside Town in America by Coastal Living in 2015.
Credit for the data above is given to the following website:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delray_Beach,_Florida
© All Rights Reserved - you may not use this image in any form without my prior permission.
Tags: Delray Beach Palm Beach County city cityscape urban downtown skyline South Florida density central business district skyscraper building architecture commercial property cosmopolitan metro metropolitan metropolis Sunshine State real estate high-rise Henry Flagler Molino Del Rey
© All Rights Reserved
Delray Beach is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The population of Delray Beach was estimated at 68,749 in 2017. That is up from 60,522 according to the 2010 United States Census. Situated 52 miles north of Miami, Delray Beach is in the Miami metropolitan area, which was home to an estimated 6,012,331 people in 2015.
In 1894 William S. Linton, a Republican U.S. Congressman for Saginaw, Michigan, bought a tract of land just west of the Orange Grove House of Refuge, and began selling plots in what he hoped would become a farming community. Initially, this community was named after Linton. In 1896 Henry Flagler extended his Florida East Coast Railroad south from West Palm Beach to Miami, with a station at Linton.
The Linton settlers established a post office and a store, and began to achieve success with truck farming of winter vegetables for the northern market. A hard freeze in 1898 was a setback, and many of the settlers left, including William Linton. Partly in an attempt to change the community's luck, or to leave behind a bad reputation, the settlement's name was changed in 1901 to Delray, after the Detroit neighborhood of Delray ("Delray" being the anglicized spelling of "Del Rey", which is Spanish for "of the king"), which in turn was named after the Mexican–American War's Battle of Molino del Rey.
By the early 1960s Delray Beach was becoming known for surfing. Atlantic Avenue was the biggest seller of surfboards in Florida at the time. Delray Beach's surfing fame increased somewhat serendipitously after a 1965 shipwreck. During Hurricane Betsy, the 441 feet (134 m) freighter Amaryllis ran aground on Singer Island, creating a windbreak that formed perfectly breaking waves. The ship was dismantled three years later, yet local surfers have retained an association with the area.
In the 1970s, Interstate 95 between Palm Beach Gardens and Miami was fully completed and development began to spread west of the city limits. This pattern continued and accelerated through the 1980s, as downtown and many of the older neighborhoods fell into a period of economic decline.
Revitalization of some historic areas began during the last decade of the twentieth century, as several local landmark structures were renovated. These include the Colony Hotel and Old School Square (the former campus of Delray Elementary School and Delray High School, since turned into a cultural center). The city also established five Historic Districts, listed in the Local Register of Historic Places, and annexed several other historic residential neighborhoods between U.S. Route 1 and the Intracoastal Waterway in an effort to preserve some of the distinctive local architecture.
In 2001, the historic home of teacher/principal Solomon D. Spady was renovated and turned into the Spady Cultural Heritage Museum. The Spady Museum houses black archives. In 2007 the museum was expanded by renovating a 1935 cottage as a Kid's Cultural Clubhouse, and the construction of a 50-seat amphitheater named for C. Spencer Pompey, a pioneer black educator.
Downtown Delray, located in the eastern part of the city, along Atlantic Avenue, east of I-95 and stretching to the beach, has undergone a large-scale renovation and gentrification. The Delray Beach Tennis Center has brought business to the area. It has hosted several major international tennis events such as the April 2005 Fed Cup (USA vs. Belgium), the April 2004 Davis Cup (USA vs. Sweden), the Delray Beach International Tennis Championships (ATP Event), and the Chris Evert / Bank of America Pro Celebrity.
Atlantic Community High School was rebuilt in 2005 on a different site from the previous school, a plan which was met with much contention.
When DayJet operated from 2007 to 2008, its headquarters were in Delray Beach.
From 2009 to 2012, Pet Airways had its headquarters in Delray Beach.
In 2012, Rand McNally "Best of the Road" named Delray Beach America's Most Fun Small Town. Delray Beach was rated as the 3rd Happiest Seaside Town in America by Coastal Living in 2015.
Credit for the data above is given to the following website:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delray_Beach,_Florida
© All Rights Reserved - you may not use this image in any form without my prior permission.
Tags: downtown Delray Beach Florida Palm Beach County Sunshine State city urban skyline cosmopolitan metropolitan real estate central financial disrict Nikon D300 Jorge Molina rooftop high-rise building architecture
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