After 8 months of discussions, negotiations, and waiting for a few remaining tenants to depart, representatives of St. Richard’s Episcopal School (SRES) and Trinity closed on the joint acquisition of the Atkinson Building, the 7-story medical facility immediately south of the school and church on the east side of Meridian Street. SRES and Trinity are sharing all associated costs. The closing ends decades of intermittent discussions between Trinity and the Atkinson owners about this purchase.
During this time of opportunity for SRES and Trinity, we want to recognize the history of the Atkinson Building. For decades, this facility housed health care professionals from physicians to psychologists who cared for many of the school’s neighbors. In recent years, a number of tenants either retired or moved. In 2012, the death of Dr. Ray Henderson, a prominent cardiologist and a co-owner of the Atkinson Building, touched both SRES and Trinity. Dr. Henderson’s daughter Catherine graduated from St. Richard’s in 1994. The Hendersons have long been Trinity parishioners.
Looking ahead, it’s likely that the Atkinson Building will be razed soon after the school year is over. The timing of the demolition of the three SRES-owned buildings south of the Atkinson Building is under discussion. The SRES-Trinity campus-planning effort will continue this spring and summer and will share news accordingly.