“Little Rock-based Preserve Arkansas has received preliminary grant approval from a national trust to conduct an assessment of historic St. Scholastica Monastery in Fort Smith, which is set for demolition after June 1.

“The $10,000 grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation requires the Benedictine Sisters who own the iconic monastery to delay demolition and agree to an architectural assessment of the large, five-story structure.

“The monastery at 1301 S. Albert Pike Ave. – near Trinity Junior High School – is the former home of the Benedictine Sisters. The Sisters announced May 10 they would begin demolition of the almost 100-year-old building that is on the National Register of Historic Places.

“The first part of the old monastery building on Albert Pike was built in 1923-1924 in the late Gothic Revival style of architecture…..”

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