11/21/2023 0 Comments Abandoned schools![]() ![]() Jaax helped pioneer a new model to help determine what becomes of the structures. “As a district we saw the impact that those closures had and one way of addressing that was to find good viable reuses and give the community a voice as we moved forward.” “The school closures were very emotional and hard for parents, families for community members,” she says. In Kansas City, the district spends $1.8 million a year in security and maintenance, but Jaax explains, the objective isn’t to sell them as quickly as possible. School districts don’t often act as realtors, but in many cities across the country, massive school closures have forced districts to recycle their shuttered properties. Two different developers have submitted plans for repurposing the school, but they fell through because of funding shortages. It’s also in a good location because there are plenty of bus lines and other commercial properties nearby. There are four main factors that weigh in on the viability of repurposing an old school: condition, location, layout and size.īlenheim has managed to stay in good condition - there’s been relatively little vandalism. “It’s of a nice size, where when you’re looking at a residential development, you can get enough units in here to make the project work, but there’s still challenges.” “This building as a really great layout” Jaax explains. Of all the schools, Jaax has brought me here to show me an example of a property that she says holds potential. Windows are boarded up with plywood and gray paint peels from the walls, but the space still holds a lively energy. As we walk the halls our steps echo over the linoleum tile. A she unlocks the heavy metal doors, she releases a seal of stale cold air. Shannon Jaax, the director of the repurposing initiative, gave me a tour of the Blenheim. That leaves 16 schools still for sale. One of those properties is Blenheim, a massive 90-year-old school located at Prospect Avenue and Gregory Boulevard. But in the wake of the school closures, Kansas City developed what was considered a pioneering program, asking communities to be part of the process of determining what would happen to the empty buildings.įour years after the initiative began nine schools have been sold, three have been demolished, one is being leased and one was reclaimed for future use by the district. Detroit, Philadelphia and Chicago all closed large numbers of school buildings in recent years. Kansas City is not the only district doing this around the country. That was in addition to nine previously closed schools, leaving the district with 30 surplus buildings. It was a tearful, dramatic day five years ago, when the school board of Kansas City Public Schools decided to close 21 buildings in order to adjust to a shrinking student population.
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