Case Study: Schoolhouse Lofts

Montgomery Development Group’s newest project is the conversion of the historic Mary H. Wright Elementary School into 53 apartments, which will consist of 1-, 2- and 3-bedroom apartments. In one of the first examples of inclusionary residential development in Spartanburg, S.C., 20 percent of the units will qualify as affordable/workforce housing and available only to people making up to 60 percent of area median income.

Montgomery Development Group listed the former school building — the first African-American school in the city of Spartanburg — on the National Register in 2020 while working with federal and state regulators and dozens of local stakeholders and residents on a long-term plan for the property, which had fallen into disrepair after sitting vacant for a decade.

Once renovated, the former school will again be a center of life on Spartanburg's historic Southside. The property will honor with a historic marker Mary Wright, a celebrated local educator and namesake of the school. It will also boast beautiful amenities, including a swimming pool, fitness center, dog park, and a new trail connection to the city's Mary Wright Greenway. Other amenities are being considered as the project moves through the community engagement and regulatory approval process.

Construction began in March of 2021 and is expected to be completed in the spring of 2022.