The Las Vegas City Council, acting in the capacity as the city’s Redevelopment Agency Board of Directors, will soon celebrate the rededication of the historic Fifth Street School and its transformation from a school and office building into a home for creativity, art and culture. An upcoming event will feature entertainment by the Las Vegas Philharmonic and the Nevada School of Arts, and will recognize not only the refurbished building, but many of the students who once studied in its hallways.

The historic Fifth Street School was built in 1936 to replace the original Las Vegas Grammar School that was constructed in 1911 and destroyed by fire in 1934. The Fifth Street School was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1988. For more than a year, the city has been restoring the school to its original Spanish-mission style. In addition to interior and exterior restoration work, the city also installed new heating and air conditioning, electrical, plumbing and safety systems, a new parking lot and new landscaping.

The revitalized building serves as home to an assortment of local arts and architectural organizations. The primary tenants, which moved into the building last month, are the University of Nevada Las Vegas Fine Arts Program, including the Downtown Design Center for the School of Architecture; the Nevada School of the Arts (a music education organization); the American Institute of Architects; and the city of Las Vegas Cultural Affairs Division.

Members of the public will also be able to enjoy the facility as many of its common areas will be available for public or private functions. These areas include a multi-purpose performance area/auditorium capable of accommodating up to 400 people, a gallery space for exhibitions and smaller meetings able to hold up to 200 people and a 30-person conference room. In addition, there will also be open courtyards available for outside activities, as well as the 16,000-square-foot Centennial Plaza that can be used for outdoor gatherings. Those interested in rental opportunities, can call 229-6469 or e-mail the Fifth Street School.

For more on the history of the facility, visit the Historic Fifth Street School Web page.