When District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) Chancellor Michelle Rhee announced that 23 under-enrolled DCPS buildings would close for the 2008/2009 school year, Kathy Padian, Vice President of Building Hope, began talks with the Deputy Mayor of Education in 2007. Building Hope works to close the educational achievement gap by giving students access to high-quality public charter schools. The company manages the real estate procurement process for charter schools in several cities around the country, including the District of Columbia and New Orleans. Building Hope often manages the financing, leasing, construction or renovation and opening of a building, while acting as liaison with state, federal and private funding sources and educational systems. This article describes how a talented project team transformed a 1970s-era "school without walls" building into an inspirational learning environment for two fledgling charter schools in an underserved neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Chaotic open spaces are now creative, playful classrooms filled with colorful energy.