Atlanta Public Schools celebrated a major moment in the massive renovation project to reopen the childhood school attended by Martin Luther King Jr.

The district on Friday held a “topping out” ceremony, a tradition in the construction industry that takes place when the highest beam of a building is put in place.

APS is undertaking a $52 million renovation of the David T. Howard Building in the Old Fourth Ward.

The former school has been shuttered for decades, but the district plans to reopen it in the fall of 2020 as a middle school.

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Superintendent Bryan Johnson listens to a speaker during an Atlanta School Board meeting in Atlanta on Wednesday, November 5, 2025. APS held its first vote on school consolidation plans. (Abbey Cutrer / AJC)

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Prosecutor Skandalakis has previously suggested that pursuing criminal charges against President Donald Trump may not be feasible until after he leaves office in 2029. (Craig Hudson/Politico/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

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