Restoration Honors History Of School

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Restoration Honors History Of School

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Designated a City Landmark, all exterior restoration work on The Annie must first be approved by the City of McAllen’s Historic Preservation Council.
Designated a City Landmark, all exterior restoration work on The Annie must first be approved by the City of McAllen’s Historic Preservation Council.

Angela Diaz-Millis and her husband, Marc, noticed a desolate building four years ago that is bordered by 16th and 17th streets in McAllen.

A sign declared the property was for sale. 

Angela and Marc Millis stand near the hound/beagle mosaic on the east side of The Annie, the couple’s second sign that they should purchase the historic property.
Angela and Marc Millis stand near the hound/beagle mosaic on the east side of The Annie, the couple’s second sign that they should purchase the historic property.

The couple are licensed realtors and own Millis Real Estate Group. They couldn’t overlook the distinct architectural elements of the building, which told their trained eyes that it held historic significance. The property was under contract, they discovered, but three years later, the for-sale sign was back up. 

“We came to the property and walked it,” Angela said. “We walked in and saw the high ceilings, and we said, ‘We can’t let anyone tear it down.’” 

The couple went home that afternoon and drew up the contract.

A Past Life

The vacant building has countless stories to tell. Historical records show that it was known as the “Mexican Ward School” when it was completed on Jan. 29, 1921. Its purpose as defined by the McAllen school board of that era was for it to serve as a new school for the city’s Mexican-American population. It would shortly thereafter be officially named Theodore Roosevelt School.

The Galveston Avenue entrance to The Annie has retained its 1920s architectural elements.
The Galveston Avenue entrance to The Annie has retained its 1920s architectural elements.

An annex facing Galveston Avenue to the north was built when enrollment at the school grew. The building features Aztec ornaments atop the exterior doorways and tiles on the outdoor entrance ceilings. Records state the addition was completed in 1927. The property in later years housed school district offices and the Instruction & Guidance Center.

‘The Annie’

The Millises began their restoration work on the annex, which they call “The Annie.” 

“We name all of our properties,” Angela said. “It’s just one of those things where you bring life back to it. We’re bringing her back to her old glory and add a modern flair, but not too modern.” 

For the Millises, restoring and repurposing community landmarks means staying true to the historical aspects of the building. One of the first things they uncovered inside The Annie was that carpeting hid and protected the original hardwood floors.

The windows lining the main hallway in The Annie, originally the annex of Theodore Roosevelt School, are now uncovered.
The windows lining the main hallway in The Annie, originally the annex of Theodore Roosevelt School, are now uncovered.

“We can deal with staples and nails all day long,” Angela said.

After removing them, sanding, and applying polyurethane, more of The Annie’s original glory returned. They revealed more hidden history after speculating there had to be windows in the main hallway for cross-circulation. After removing a small piece of sheetrock, they discovered treasure in the form of original, but covered, windows along the top of both hallway walls.

“It was likely done to contain sound,” Angela said.

Covering windows also provides more wall space, she said. All of the sheetrock has now been removed, allowing the light to shine on The Annie’s history. Old green chalkboards are now painted with black chalkboard paint. Original pieces of wood from the structure were used to create a zebra-effect backsplash in the east-side restrooms, with their floors finished in onyx concrete.

The ceiling of the 17th Street entrance to The Annie is its own work of art.
The ceiling of the 17th Street entrance to The Annie is its own work of art.

Vintage chandeliers, cedar countertops and antique furniture pieces tie everything together. There is a wheelchair ramp, and doorways are wheelchair accessible. Exposed ceilings throughout the building will add to what Angela calls “that modern vintage flair.” 

‘Keeping History Alive’

The city of McAllen designated the property a “City Landmark.” 

The Millises have submitted documents for the exterior paint colors and all other exterior restoration. They will then go to the City’s Historic Preservation Council for approval. The project has diligently honored time appropriateness and The Annie’s history throughout the interior.

The next chapter in the building annex’s history will be for it to house the studio of Barbara Delgado Photography. 

Angela Millis displays a vanity purchased for Barbara Delgado Photography. “It’s pieces like this that add a different flair,” she said.
Angela Millis displays a vanity purchased for Barbara Delgado Photography. “It’s pieces like this that add a different flair,” she said.

“We love that they restore old buildings,” said Delgado, a friend of the Millis couple. “I love the idea of the old with the new. It’s a dream. We get to keep history alive.”

Delgado’s business will fully settle this month into The Annie. Work will now begin on the original building. When completed, Angela said, it would make a perfect site for an event center or a brewery. 

“It has one-and-a-half acres of usable space and an outdoor courtyard,” she said. 

The building has good bones and historical value.

“It’s an incredible architectural masterpiece,” Marc said.

 Now, instead of being lost, its history will continue.

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