Holy Rosary is getting $500,00 to start it’s redevelopment project. The money will go toward phase one of the Holy Rosary redevelopment project which is to stabilize the historic three story building
on the 39 acre site.

The Louisiana Trust for Historic Preservation has the building listed as
one Louisiana’s most endangered properties. Upon completion of phase one, Holy Rosary will be set to receive up to an additional $4 million dollars over the course of the next four fiscal years. The property is historically recognized as the first educational institution for African Americans in Southwest Louisiana. The Catholic school; operated by the Sisters of the Holy Family, would go on to become a prominent school producing
many of the region’s most successful African Americans.

Today, the three-story building and site are seen as a socio-economic catalyst for the underserved community it sits it. “This project’s impact to north Lafayette, Lafayette overall, and southwest Louisiana cannot be overstated. This building sits here as a monument to injustices of the past
and the fight for equality. With this renewed support, it will be a beacon of hope and an investment in our future,” says Dustin Cravins, the Holy Rosary Redevelopment Board President.

The site’s master plan includes a healthcare facility, a library component, African American museum, green space, educational resources, retail space and more. “The commitment from Governor Edwards along with our local legislative delegation, local government officials and stakeholders has put this project on a fast track to success which translates to real opportunity for this community. Holy Rosary, with its historical significance and current momentum is in a position to bring together public and private partnerships like we have not seen here. It will takes all of us coming together to make that happen,” say Representative Terry
Landry; one of the project’s biggest proponents.

Holy Rosary Institute began as an industrial school for African American young women in Galveston, Texas, during the last quarter of the nineteenth century. In 1913 it moved to Lafayette, Louisiana, and in 1947 began admitting males as well as women. It closed its doors in 1993.