Taking on a historic renovation can cost a pretty penny. Especially if a building is not structurally sound.

After a request for demolition of the former W.H. Adamson High School was put on pause in November 2025, and after an unsuccessful bidding process, the building is now up for grabs in another way. There’s currently a call for proposals on what to do with the building that has a deadline this month.

Located at 201 E. Ninth St., the American Classical Revival style red-bricked building was built as Oak Cliff High School in 1915. Additions were later completed in 1919 and 1938. The campus was renamed in honor of William Hardin Adamson in 1935, who served as an area principal for 31 years up until his death that year.

In 2009, Dallas ISD wanted to use over $48 million in school bond money to take down the old campus and build a modern campus. Alumni spoke out against this decision, with the support of Preservation Dallas.

“This reconstruction will provide a clean, historically accurate image of the original building and provide the school district with a new facility with a stable, modern, supporting structure for a full lifetime of use,” Dallas ISD said in a statement to WFAA at the time.

The Adamson Alumni Association moved ahead with efforts to earn a historic site designation from the Landmark Commission. As of 2011, the campus is an official City of Dallas Historic Landmark and on the National Register of Historic Places.

Since then, efforts have been made to keep the campus in use for the district. In 2020, voters supported the bond program to provide resources for the historic restoration of the building. And plans were made to become a choice school focused on creative and digital arts, slated to open in fall 2024.

However, the cost to refurbish the building as a school would be “north of $100 million, which is far too much to justify as a school building,” says Ben Mackey, who serves as a Dallas ISD Trustee for District 7 (which includes Adamson).

There are also the structural issues.

“One of the largest concerns with it is the facade of the building,” he says. “The front is not appropriately attached to the building, which is something that was a functional defect when it was built back in the early 1900s, but that would require quite a bit of restoration expertise to make sure that the facade stays fully attached to the building.”

Last year, attempts were made for a demolition permit requested on Oct. 24, 2025 that was later withdrawn. The building was also up for bid, but received no proposals, Mackey says.

Now, the district is calling for a new plan: seeking a redevelopment partner.

“We’re trying to explore every possible option before even entertaining a conversation about what to do,” Mackey says.

With this proposal call, there are more restrictions. It can’t just become a new business, but has to serve a public purpose and preserve the historic significance of the building.

“I’m not familiar with a time in the time that I’ve been a trustee where we have done a public gift. This would be the first one, to my memory, where we do this,” Mackey says. “It’s not unheard of.”

Per the solicitation summary, Dallas ISD is seeking proposals from “qualified governmental entities, non-profit organizations, and Low-to-Moderate income affordable Housing Developers” to redevelop the former campus. This is done in accordance with Texas Education Code and Local Government Code.

The goal is to identify “a qualified governmental entity, nonprofit organization affordable housing developer or other eligible organization that can:

  • Preserve and rehabilitate the historic structure.
  • Place the property into productive use serving a public purpose.
  • Generate long-term community benefits.
  • Secure the necessary redevelopment and ongoing operations.
  • Ensure the long-term maintenance and stewardship of the historic asset.
  • Complete redevelopment within a “reasonable and achievable timeline.”

The completed proposals are due on Wednesday, Oct. 15 at 3 p.m.

“We would want to do something to retain aspects of that building and the history of the building and turn it into a functional and usable space for Adamson,” Mackey says. “I think there are ways to do so that would honor the history and legacy of it, if we needed to, as well as create the space in a safe and functioning environment.”