Former Bedford Middle School Gets a New Lease on Life as The Flora Housing Development

By: Emily Mook | Photos BY: Jerrica Moyeno

In nature, there are flowers that not only regrow after a fire—they thrive. Amid the destruction and loss left in the blaze’s wake, these resilient blooms take on new life by utilizing the resulting open space and fresh nutrients released by the ash. The Flora, a recently-completed apartment building in the Town of Bedford, tells a similar tale of perseverance and renewal. After a devastating, intentionally-set fire in January 2020 derailed Waukeshaw Development’s initial plans to convert the former Bedford Middle School building into a housing development, Waukeshaw didn’t walk away from the project; instead, they forged ahead with an obstacle-to-opportunity mindset and ultimately developed a 59-unit property that is even more capacious, efficient, and beautiful than the one they originally planned.

Before the fire, Waukeshaw looked forward to taking on its third historic tax credit project in the Town of Bedford after two previous successful conversions: a 32-unit conversion of a historic furniture factory into Bedford Lofts (2014) and a 16,000-square-foot transformation of a former woolen mill into Beale’s Brewery (2017). In fact, the team was particularly excited to begin work on The Flora because they believed it would be relatively simple and straightforward.

“We have a really good relationship with the Town of Bedford and really enjoy being part of that community,” said Emily Sanfratella, Chief Operating Officer of Waukeshaw. “When the Town approached us about this project, we were very keen to take it on. The Town had used the building as a school until just a few years ago [it closed at the end of the 2017-2018 school year]; you would walk the hallways, and everything was pristine. We thought that this would be a very easy conversion.”

After Waukeshaw completed all architectural, engineering, and site planning work and just as construction was getting underway, everything changed on the morning of January 23, 2020, when an arsonist set fire to the building. Large sections of the roof and flooring collapsed and the cupola imploded. The interior destruction was considerable. With such extensive damage sustained, many felt that this beloved community space may not get a second chance at life after all—but Waukeshaw was back in the building the following day to survey the damage and determine next steps.

“We had to go back to our lender and say, ‘Hey, this project is going to look a lot different in terms of timing and the size of the loan required,’” Sanfratella recalled. “Virginia Credit Union was our partner on this deal, and they were super supportive and amazing. We had to go back to the Department of Historic Resources because this is a historic tax credit project and work with them to figure out if there was enough historic fabric left in the building for it to still be eligible for historic tax credits. And then of course we had to go back to the architect to rethink how to make this project work.”

Fortunately, the project was still eligible for historic tax credits, and certain historic elements proved to be either salvageable or faithfully replicable.

“Some areas of the building were more damaged than others,” remarked Sanfratella. “The historic tile floors actually remained intact, and some of the historic stair railings were also salvageable. Also, because we had extensive photos due to the project being a historic tax credit project—which entails documenting every inch of the property when you begin—we were able to go back and rebuild with precision some of the historic trim and moldings.”

That said, some of The Flora’s standout features would not exist if the fire hadn’t occurred.

“We were able to rethink things that would have been impossible to do pre-fire,” Sanfratella noted. “Typically in historic tax credit projects, you have to keep the original windows. The windows in this building were single-pane, almost 100 years old, and super inefficient. We had the ability to come back in with modern windows, which I think made the project better. We were also able to rethink some of the space that is typically difficult to monetize like the auditorium, which typically would have needed to be kept intact. After the fire, we were able to figure out how to put units in that space; those units ended up being some of the most interesting and unique units that we’ve ever done.”

One of the most notable silver linings is a spacious rooftop deck that is both captivating and community-building; a shared staircase grants rooftop access to all tenants so they can gather and enjoy a stunning panoramic view of the Peaks of Otter.

There is also plenty of beauty to be found within the building. From its vast native flora mural by Richmond-based company Thicket Design to its soil-to-sky color story and other thoughtful interior details by Richmond-based company Campfire & Co., The Flora boasts an inviting, distinct, and dynamic environment.

The word “dynamic” can be used to describe many facets of the project. To start, a well-attended community open house event in October 2025 generated considerable interest in and conversations about the project and the legacy it honors; according to Sanfratella, “former Bedford Middle School administrators, teachers, and students came through, found their old classrooms, and shared stories.” Additionally, Waukeshaw’s companion development at the neighboring yellow building, The Hotel Fauna, is slated to come online later in 2026; collectively, the Flora & Fauna campus is sure to draw residents and tourists.

Bedford’s town officials anticipate that these real estate developments will facilitate economic growth, and they also appreciate the community investment and nods to Bedford’s rich history entailed by the projects.

Town Manager Bart Warner praised “the preservation and new life given to a prominent historic landmark,” and Director of Planning and Community Development Mary Zirkle believes the projects will “catalyze demand for different businesses in downtown Bedford that will meet the needs of residents and visitors.”

According to Zirkle, the Flora & Fauna campus project was the impetus for the 2018 Bridge Street Area Revitalization Plan, which was partly the basis for the Town’s recent Downtown 5-Year Action Plan.

“The Flora is in line with the Town’s downtown revitalization plan [because it] brings new residents within walking distance of the downtown area,” added Mayor C.G. Stanley. “This will support local businesses, increase the value of investing in Bedford’s Historic District, and create a more inviting, vibrant downtown. This sends a clear message that Bedford’s days of growth and community involvement are moving forward.”

Although—or perhaps because—it was such a hard-won triumph, Sanfratella and the Waukeshaw team are thrilled to see The Flora blossom in its secondary succession.

“This is the longest project we’ve ever worked on, and it’s wonderful to finally see it done!” she exclaimed. “The process has been very intensive and heavy at times to work through, so to finally get to the point where we can say that those five plus years were worth it is so rewarding.”