DANITA DEHANEY: “This project is about more than bricks and mortar,” said the president and CEO of the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties, and chair of the African American Museum & Research Library (AAMRL) Board. PHOTO COURTESY OF COMMUNITY FOUNDATION

West Palm Beach – The Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties has announced that Bora Architecture & Interiors has been selected as the lead architectural design firm for the future African American Museum & Research Library (AAMRL) in West Palm Beach.

The 37,000-square-foot facility will be constructed on the historic grounds of Roosevelt High School and serve as a cornerstone of revitalization for the Coleman Park neighborhood.

The 1601 N. Tamarind Ave. site holds deep significance as the former home of West Palm Beach’s Roosevelt High before becoming the Roosevelt Full-Service Center.

For many years Roosevelt alumni and community members have been advocating to turn the site into something more.

The Community Foundation joined the effort in June 2024 when the Palm Beach County Commission approved $1 million for the museum’s planning and development.

The county school district, which owns the site, has already begun renovations under Phase I, with Phase II encompassing restoration and the construction of a new two-story, 20,000-square-foot museum building.

Plans for the museum include exhibit space, a research library, and community-focused areas that will host lectures, educational programs, special exhibitions, oral histories, youth initiatives and more.

Bora Architecture & Interiors, based in Portland, Oregon, was chosen from among 40 candidates following a national search conducted by the AAMRL Advisory Council, the AAMRL Board of Directors and the Community Foundation project team.

Notable Bora projects include the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati, OH; the Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts in Davis, CA; the Mesa Arts Center in Mesa, AZ; and the Van Cliburn Concert Hall and School of Music at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, TX.

For this project Bora assembled a “Design Collective” that brings together expertise in architecture, landscape design, community engagement and storytelling.

For the architectural design, Bora will collaborate closely with Florida-based Storyn Studio for Architecture.

Other key team members include Hood Design Studio for landscape architecture and placemaking, Local Projects for exhibit design, and Dr. Nashid S. Madyun for storytelling.

Officials said the collaborative effort by the foundation, County Commission, school district and community members will serve as a beacon of cultural pride, economic opportunity and educational empowerment in the Coleman Park neighborhood, once a center of African American life in Palm Beach County.

“This project is about more than bricks and mortar,” said Danita R. DeHaney, AAMRL Board chair, and president and CEO of the nonprofit Community Foundation, which partners with donors, other nonprofit organizations, and community members to address local issues.

“It’s about honoring the profound contributions of African Americans to our region and creating a space that informs, uplifts, and brings people together. We knew we needed a visionary architectural partner to create a cultural cornerstone that will act as an anchor for the Coleman Park community, and we’ve found that in Bora.”

Visit yourcommunityfoundation.org/african-american-museum-and-research-library/ and bora.co.