The Kessler School, a pre-K through 8th grade private school in North Oak Cliff, has completed the purchase of its new campus, located at 1822 W. 10th Street in Dallas, formerly the long-time home of Calvary Baptist Church of Oak Cliff. Located in the Sunset Hill neighborhood of Oak Cliff, the new campus totals more than 60,000 square feet across two acres. The Kessler School currently leases approximately 12,000 square feet at the nearby Kessler Park United Methodist Church.
Eliza Solender of Solender/Hall, represented The Kessler School. The seller was represented by Roosevelt Broach of Church Realty, Inc., which specializes in churches and schools.
With an eye for finding unique spaces and repurposing churches, stores and warehouses for schools and nonprofits, Solender/Hall worked closely with the school to find its new campus. “The Kessler School had to be in a specific geographic area, needed more space—both indoors and outdoors—to be able to increase enrollment and expand programs. When we walked into this historic church, we knew it was the perfect place.”
The Kessler School plans restoration of the original neoclassical architecture, updates to interior spaces to better allow for personalized education and technology, repurposing the current sanctuary into a gymnasium/multi-use performance space and the addition of sports fields, playgrounds and other landscaped outdoor spaces. The school expects to begin operating at the new campus in Fall 2021.
“This new location paves the way for The Kessler School’s continued growth and supports our mission to provide high-quality, personalized education in Oak Cliff,” said Vanessa Ullmann, Head of School. “The increased square footage - more than five times what we have now - will also allow us to add more students and expand our programming significantly for future generations of TKS Owls.”
“The response we’ve received from our new neighbors in the Sunset Hill neighborhood, as well as those who have been concerned about the future of the structures themselves, has been overwhelmingly positive. We look forward to reactivating these gorgeous old buildings while continuing to grow The Kessler School as an asset and contributor to North Oak Cliff’s success,” said Cooper Koch, President of the school’s Board of Trustees.
The sanctuary was built in 1924, followed by the addition of an educational annex in 1953. In the 1960s, the sanctuary was “modernized” with the addition of a brise soleil facade to cover the neoclassical columns.
BancorpSouth and The Real Estate Council Community Fund financed the project as the school ramps up its Capital Campaign to bring the full potential of the new campus to fruition.
Since 1991, Solender/Hall has been assisting nonprofit organizations buy, sell and lease commercial real estate in the North Texas area. The firm has been highly successful in finding unique spaces, often repurposing banks, stores, warehouses, bowling alleys and churches into new nonprofit locations. Find out more at www.solenderhall.com or by calling 214.265.8200.