TROY, Ala. (TROJANVISION) — 40 years open. Over 50 years closed. Now, Academy Street High School is reopening to the community with a new purpose and a new look.

“Oh my goodness. Everything is different,” said former Academy Street High School teacher Margie Caffey. “When we drove up, I couldn’t believe the way the building even looked. But then, when I walked into the school, everything still seemed so familiar. This was my first job when I graduated from college back in 1960.”

Academy Street High School served as the segregated high school for black students in Troy until 1970, when students of all races were allowed to attend Charles Henderson High School. Those who remember it when it was open say Academy Street was more than just a school.

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“It was the center of everything here in Troy. Everything revolved around the school,” explained Caffey.

With the help of local community leaders, former teachers and alumni, Academy Street High School is reopening its doors to the community and is working to find its new purpose.

When asked about the vision for the reopened school, District Five Council Member for Troy, Wanda Howard Moultry, replied, “The vision for Academy Street school is to make it viable to the community, for it to have a positive impact on this community.”

As city leaders decide the best use for the former school, Academy Street High School will serve as a reminder of Troy’s history.