Attucks: Why These 90 Days Matter — WB Properties SE & Men 2 Be
WB Properties SE logo WB PROPERTIES SE+MEN 2 BE Support Attucks
Hopkinsville, Kentucky · Est. 1916

Why these 90 days matter

Attucks was Hopkinsville’s first high school for Black students. Today it stands at a crossroads — and WB Properties SE, LLC and Men 2 Be are joining forces to give it a future.

Read the Statement How to Help

The Record, So Far

1916
Attucks School opens — Hopkinsville’s first high school for Black students
1988
School closes; the building sits vacant for decades
FEB 2024
Men 2 Be takes ownership of a distressed property, ~$4,000 in existing liens, facing possible demolition
2024–25
Building secured, windows boarded, property maintained per Code Enforcement
AUG 2025
Developer Demond Sutton and engineers connect — a path forward begins to take shape
MAY 2026
The roof collapses. Code Enforcement returns; the case goes back to the Code Enforcement Board
NOW
45 days completed. The Code Enforcement Board has granted 90 additional days to prove Attucks can be saved
Two organizations, one mission

WB Properties SE & Men 2 Be are joining forces

Saving Attucks isn’t just about the roof. It’s the flagship of a much larger vision for Hopkinsville’s Eastside — pairing mentorship with housing, workforce, and economic development.

WB Properties SE logoWB PROPERTIES SE
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Men 2 Be crestMEN 2 BE
Real Estate & Community Development

WB Properties SE, LLC

WB Properties SE creates economic value in cities and neighborhoods by renovating older structures and building new ones — work that leads to generational wealth for owners, families, and the surrounding community.

That work is already playing out in Hopkinsville through the Legacy Neighborhoods. At Attucks, WB Properties SE brings the real estate, redevelopment, and economic-empowerment side of the vision alongside Men 2 Be’s mentorship.

Housing · Education · Entrepreneurship · Health & Wellness

Meet the partners →
Est. 2020 · Hopkinsville, KY

Men 2 Be, Inc.

A 501(c)(3) nonprofit empowering young men ages 7–18 through mentorship and character development, building the next generation of leaders in Christian County.

Men 2 Be has owned and maintained the Attucks property since February 2024 — securing it, pursuing historic tax credits and preservation funding, and bringing engineers and contractors to the table to keep a path to restoration alive.

“My Life Matters.”

Visit men2beinc.org →
Attucks School facade with boarded windows, seen from the front lawn
ATTUCKS SCHOOL — 712 1ST ST, HOPKINSVILLE, KY
A statement from Men 2 Be

Men 2 Be did not acquire Attucks in its current condition and simply allow it to deteriorate.

When Men 2 Be took ownership in February 2024, Attucks was already a distressed property facing fines and potential demolition. We assumed approximately $4,000 in existing liens. After meeting with the City and Code Enforcement, we were instructed to secure the building, board the windows, and maintain the property. We did those things while trying to determine how to move forward. For nearly a year, we struggled to get clear direction.

In August 2025, we connected with developer Demond Sutton and engineering professionals. We were told the building could move forward — the roof could be addressed, the bleachers removed, and rehabilitation could begin. So we went to work. We pursued historic tax credits, preservation funding, contractors, engineering guidance, and community support. We were making significant progress and believed we finally had a path forward.

Then the roof collapsed.

That changed everything. Code Enforcement became involved again, we went before the Code Enforcement Board, and Men 2 Be was initially given approximately 45 days to remove debris and address immediate concerns. We completed as much work as our available funding allowed. We returned to the Code Enforcement Board and have now been granted 90 additional days.

We understand the seriousness of the situation. In 90 days, Attucks could deteriorate further, we could secure the resources to stabilize it, or we may ultimately have to consider another direction. But we believe these 90 days should be used to exhaust every reasonable opportunity to save it.

“Attucks is an important part of Black history in Hopkinsville, and we are proud to preserve that story.”

We did not choose the circumstances that made schools like Attucks necessary, but this is our history — the history of Black students, educators, families, and a community that persevered. That story deserves to be preserved.

Men 2 Be has maintained the property, invested resources, pursued funding and tax credits, brought professionals to the table, removed debris, and continued showing up. We are not asking anyone to ignore public safety or pretend the challenges aren’t significant. We are simply asking for the opportunity to determine whether something once viewed as a liability can become an asset for the next generation.

Read the full coverage in the Kentucky New Era →
Meet the partners

Eric D. Coleman

Co-Owner, WB Properties SE, LLC · CEO, Eric D. Coleman Financial Group

Eric D. Coleman is a retired business executive with over 25 years of corporate experience in engineering, sales, marketing, business development, and general management — and over 25 years as an entrepreneur.

He earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in engineering from the University of Kentucky and the Georgia Institute of Technology, and an MBA from Northwood University. He holds an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from West Virginia State University.

Dr. Johney Green

Co-Owner, WB Properties SE, LLC · Director, Savannah River National Laboratory

Dr. Johney Green serves as Director of the Savannah River National Laboratory and President & CEO of Battelle Savannah River Alliance, LLC. He previously served as Associate Laboratory Director at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and spent 21 years in leadership roles at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

He is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and of SAE International, and holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Memphis along with a master’s and doctorate in mechanical engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

About WB Properties SE, LLC

Creating economic value in cities and neighborhoods by renovating old structures and building new ones — leading to generational wealth. Owned by Eric Coleman and Dr. Johney Green, together with their sons, Eric Coleman Jr. and Johney Green III.

What the partnership will build

The partnership focuses on three things:

  • 01 Preservation & restoration of the historic Attucks School
  • 02 Redevelopment of the Eastside, with attainable housing as a core focus
  • 03 Catalyzing economic empowerment through a hub of education, entrepreneurship, and health & wellness activities

Four pillars drive the work:

  • 01 Housing — addressing Hopkinsville’s already-announced housing shortage
  • 02 Education — workforce development through a trade school, K-12 initiatives, financial literacy, and childcare to follow
  • 03 Entrepreneurship — creating and supporting business opportunities
  • 04 Health & Wellness — walking trails, community health forums, and grants addressing systemic health issues
A proven track record

Already rebuilding Hopkinsville, block by block

Attucks isn’t WB Properties SE’s first project in this city — it’s the missing piece of one.

Map of Hopkinsville's Legacy Neighborhoods — Downtown, Canton, Westside, and Eastside

Hopkinsville’s older core is made up of four “Legacy Neighborhoods”: Durrett Avenue, Canton, Westside, and Eastside.

WB Properties SE has already completed renovation projects in three of the four — Durrett Avenue, Canton, and Westside. The Eastside, anchored by the historic Attucks School, is the one neighborhood left untouched.

That makes the Attucks partnership more than a single building. It’s the project that lets WB Properties SE complete its work across every Legacy Neighborhood in Hopkinsville.

Renovated home at 1502 College Street, Hopkinsville, KY Renovated home at 1502 College Street, Hopkinsville, KY, alternate view
1502 COLLEGE STREET
Renovated home at 809 E 19th Street, Hopkinsville, KY Renovated home at 809 E 19th Street, Hopkinsville, KY, alternate view
809 E 19TH
Renovated home at 1701 Tennessee, Hopkinsville, KY Renovated home at 1701 Tennessee, Hopkinsville, KY, alternate view
1701 Tennessee
Renovated home at 1000 Walnut Street, Hopkinsville, KY Renovated home at 1000 Walnut Street, Hopkinsville, KY, alternate view
1000 WALNUT ST
Renovated home at 900 E 13th Street, Hopkinsville, KY, alternate view Renovated home at 900 E 13th Street, Hopkinsville, KY
900 E. 13TH STREET
Renovated duplex at 1302 and 1304 Sharpe Street, Hopkinsville, KY Renovated duplex at 1302 and 1304 Sharpe Street, Hopkinsville, KY, alternate view
1302 & 1304 SHARPE ST (DUPLEX)
The vision forward

Rooted in Black history. Built for the whole community.

While its history is rooted in the Black community, Men 2 Be’s vision for Attucks’ future is one that creates opportunities and resources for the entire community.

01

Youth Development

Mentorship and character-building programs for young men, continuing Men 2 Be’s core mission on site.

02

Workforce & Skilled Trades

Hands-on training pathways into the trades that helped restore the building itself.

03

Education

A home for tutoring, academic support, and enrichment programming.

04

Mentoring

Structured relationships connecting young people with role models across the community.

05

Community Resources

Shared space for the programs and services Hopkinsville’s families rely on.

90 days. One opportunity.

Help us turn a liability into an asset for the next generation.

Whether it’s funding, skilled trades, historic preservation expertise, or spreading the word — every bit of support shortens the distance between Attucks today and Attucks restored.

Support Men 2 Be Support Attucks