For more than six decades, Frankie Lemmon School has built its mission around a simple idea: children of all abilities should have a place where they can learn, grow, and belong.
Now, that mission is preparing for a much larger home.
Frankie Lemmon School and Foundation has acquired a two-building campus at 4401 and 4501 Atlantic Avenue in North Raleigh, laying the groundwork for a major expansion that will bring the organization’s educational programs and foundation operations together in one location.
The 114,781-square-foot property will eventually house Frankie Lemmon School, Lemmon Tree Academy, and the Frankie Lemmon Foundation. Construction and renovations are expected to begin in 2027, with the new campus scheduled to welcome preschool and grade-school students in fall 2028.
The move represents a dramatic increase from Frankie Lemmon’s current 17,893-square-foot facility and is expected to more than double the school’s capacity to more than 230 students.
For Executive Director Marsha Hargette, the expansion is about more than additional classrooms.
“Every child deserves an environment where their strengths are recognized, and their potential can flourish,” Hargette said. “Expanding Frankie Lemmon School allows us to create that opportunity for more children and families, while showing what is possible when a community chooses to invest in every child.”
Frankie Lemmon School has served Raleigh-area families since 1965, providing inclusive education for children with and without developmental disabilities. Along with classroom instruction, the school offers therapeutic services and family support designed to help children develop skills they carry into school and everyday life.
The Frankie Lemmon Foundation supports that work through fundraising, community partnerships, and long-term investment in the school’s future. The new campus is part of that broader effort to expand access to Frankie Lemmon’s services as demand continues to grow.
Bringing the school, academy and foundation together on one campus will also give the organization more flexibility in how it serves students and families, while creating room for continued growth.
The Atlantic Avenue property was purchased through a transaction involving Foundry Commercial and CBRE. Foundry Commercial’s Patrick Blackley and Jane Doggett represented the seller, while Clayton Collins, Chandler Hawkins and Harrison Benson of CBRE represented Frankie Lemmon School and Foundation.
Blackley said the sale demonstrates how an existing commercial property can take on a new purpose within the community.
“This campus offers Frankie Lemmon the space and flexibility to grow its services while creating a lasting home for an organization that has served Raleigh families for more than 60 years,” he said.
That lasting home could become one of the most significant milestones in the school’s history.
What began more than 60 years ago as an effort to give children with disabilities greater educational opportunities has evolved into a larger model of inclusive learning, where children with different abilities learn alongside one another.
The new North Raleigh campus will give Frankie Lemmon considerably more space to continue that work and open its doors to families who might otherwise be unable to access its programs.
“When our children thrive, our entire community thrives,” Hargette said.
If plans remain on schedule, that community will begin a new chapter on Atlantic Avenue in fall 2028.
