COLUMBIA, S.C. — A historic building on the campus of Allen University is about to be restored and revamped.
On Tuesday, the University and several others officially broke ground on the Good Samaritan Waverly Hospital project.
Built in 1950, the Good Samaritan Waverly Hospital was one of the few places that served African Americans during segregation, before closing its doors in 1973.
The renovated building will host civility classes, the school of education and will also be the home to a number of exhibits, including a memorial dedicated to the Mother Emanuel Nine.
"This project will simply take what is historic and bring it into the future." says Dr. Ernest Mcnealey, President at Allen University. " While we journey into the past, we move very quickly into the new spaces where the university will be creating new history."
Anthony Washington was born in the hospital and is happy that the University is preserving the building.
"With so many of black buildings being torn down and discarded, it's an awesome that the school and the community are going to keep the Waverly hospital in tact as it is." Washington said.
The new building will officially open in April 2021.