Self+Tucker Architects

Orange Mound Library & Genealogy Center

The Historic Melrose School is the stunning result of community organizing, governmental support, and an innovative case study in community-centric revitalization.Originally built in 1938, Melrose was the birthplace of several notable Leaders, Artists, and Athletes. It closed in 1979 and was left derelict for over 40 years. In the following decades, residents and alumni rallied support for municipal intervention on the blighted building. Collaborating with an engaged community and a committed City government, STA integrated adaptive reuse with creative placemaking, public art, and innovative mixed-use strategies. Today, the building is a vibrant and rich celebration of Orange Mound featuring both the first Public Library or Genealogy Center in neighborhood history, and the future addition of senior housing on the upper floors of the building. Co-located on the site with an existing Senior Center, Community Center and Health Center,this revitalization creates a dynamic mix of public uses that encourage intergenerational interaction. With a focus on context and resilience, the Historic Melrose School is a people-centered redevelopment that honors and uplifts both the site and the surrounding neighborhood

"Bad libraries only build collections. Good libraries build services. Great libraries build communities."



– R. David Lankes