| Year(s) Listed: • 2018 |
| City/Town: • Topeka |
| Location Class: • School |
| Built: 1954 | Year Saved: ~2017 |
| Awards: • Medallion Award |
| Contributor: Kansas Preservation Alliance |
The Assumption School was built in 1954, opening the first Catholic elementary school in Topeka for the Church of the Assumption parish. Built during the height of the baby boom, the school accommodated a growing demand for Catholic education and provided additional housing space for the growing convent, making it the only combined school and convent building in the Topeka parishes. The school served the parish until it was closed in 2008, sitting empty for several years until parishioner Mark Burenheide bought it for redevelopment into 21 market rate lofts. The building now stands as an addition to the growing residential population of downtown Topeka, an important part of the city’s ongoing downtown revitalization.
Federal and State historic preservation tax credits were utilized to fund this rehabilitation.