Historic Canton High School Rehabilitation

The Historic Canton High School building is a Mississippi Landmark and individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places. After sitting vacant for many years and through continued hopeful planning for adaptive reuse and maintenance projects, a development project was born through the partnership of the preservation architect and the developer. Its masonry facade stretches for almost 400 feet and contains 62,000 square feet. The two-story building consists of a central corridor on each side and an auditorium and gymnasium that extends from the back. The primary structure of the building consists of concrete and masonry load-bearing walls, concrete and wood flooring, and wood roof framing. The walls and ceilings are covered with plaster, while floors are concrete, ceramic tile, or wood. The school retains its original plan and a high degree of integrity regarding the materials, design, and craftsmanship. Master planning for development, exterior masonry, roofing, and drainage work was completed along with the complete rehabilitation process to now serve as residential housing for Madison County.

Canton High Apartments provides a historic living experience with full amenities and community-focused events, including access to the original restored gymnasium and an auditorium now utilized as an indoor playground. It offers spacious floor plans with one, two, and three-bedroom apartment home options. This project demonstrates the role adaptive reuse and rehabilitation projects can play in the economic development of an area.