Save the Historic George E. Tandy Elementary School
We, residents of Meadowbrook, and/or the City of Fort Worth, are signing this petition in support of our desire for the preservation and restoration of this irreplacable historic structure, George E. Tandy Elementary School, for current and future residents, and request that any permit for demolition which includes this historic structure, be denied.
George E. Tandy Elementary is located in the West Meadowbrook neighborhood of Fort Worth at 2601 Tandy Ave. (3400 Purington), just 1200 feet from Tandy Hills Prairie conservation area. It was completed in 1923 and underwent several additions from 1949 through 1985 in which it became part of the now closed, Tandy Village Assisted Living. It is in danger of being demolished by the current owner(s) who have continually neglected the upkeep of the property and allowed the property to fall into a state of disrepair. The West Meadowbrook Neighborhood Association has received information indicating the owner is in the process of submitting an application for demolition which would include our historic school. This building is an integral part of the history of our neighborhood as well as the City of Fort Worth.
G.E. Tandy Elementary is one of the earliest school buildings in the Meadowbrook area, named for George E. Tandy who platted and developed much of the Meadowbrook area. Butcher and Sweeney were the contractors for the $41,224 project. The school was constructed by the Polytechnic School District when the area was annexed by the City of Fort Worth in 1922. G.N. Fisher was the first principal of the original eight classroom building. A 1948 addition included six more classrooms and a basement cafeteria/auditorium, designed by Paul T. Cahill, completed along the east side in 1949. A separate cafeteria and kitcehn were provided in the 1956 Building Program. The school served as the elementary school for the Tarrant County Orphanage, and was the basis of a controversy involving removing children from the Lena Pope Home to the Tarrant County Orphanage, changing their schooling to G.E. Tandy Elemenary.
The original 1922 building is a two-story red brick building with a high basement. The school has a handsome corbelled cornice and a prominent central entrance set in a brick round arch surround and a classical cast stone architrave. New anodized frame windows have replaced the original windows. The school closed in 1970.
Many current residents of the Meadowbrook neighborhoods retain fond memories of their school years attending classes in this historic building. In 1985, it was converted to a retirement facility with the construction of 1-story wings on the east and west sides, rendering it ineligible for listed on the National Register at that time. It may, however, still be eligible for listing at the State and City levels due to its historical significance within the community.
The retirement home closed in 2024 and while currently listed for sale, the current owners have indicated their intention to apply for a demolition permit to raze all buildings on the site, including the historic school.
We ask you to please consider the community's opposition to this request for demolition, to deny any such permits for demolition, and to request the current owners to work with the neighborhood as well as the City of Fort Worth, to take actions to retain, preserve, and restore our beloved George E. Tandy Elementary School.
Patti S Schamp (Kirkey) Contact the author of the petition