The Atlanta school board has approved a $46 million contract to reopen and renovate the school that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. attended.

In a unanimous vote, the Atlanta Board of Education approved the next steps to transform the David T. Howard school building into the David T. Howard Middle School, reports The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. MLK attended the school from 1936 to 1940 during the early days of his academic career.

“I can’t think of a better year to have this approved — on the 50th anniversary marking his life and his legacy,” said Superintendent Meria Carstarphen during Monday’s meeting.

Last week, renderings of the proposed school were released online on the anniversary of MLK's assassination.

APS has unveiled architectural renderings of a renovated David T. Howard School, which was once attended by Martin Luther King, Jr. @apsupdate is breathing new life into the legacy building and transforming it into a new home for Inman Middle School: https://t.co/4gK6aeaTyQ. pic.twitter.com/N9IbSqweCt

— City of Atlanta, GA (@Cityofatlanta) April 4, 2018

Officials are hopeful that the new middle school will relieve overcrowding at the nearby Inman Middle School.

The newly minted Howard Middle School will open fall of 2020 in Atlanta's Old Fourth Ward.

David T. Howard School

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