Introduction

There is no logical reason why old schools should be “saved.”  After all, many are old buildings loaded with asbestos, antiquated boilers, and narrow hallways.  Still these buildings captivate our hearts and stimulate the imagination.  Anyone who walks in to a school can see places to live, work or play.  In this case, when members of the public see rooms and places and areas that do not exist currently, they can be likened to Joseph Beuys’ quote that, “Every human being is an artist.”

I go further sand say that, “Every human being is a developer!”

In America, most schools are large commercial buildings with offices, classrooms, gyms, cafeterias and playgrounds.  Some have locker rooms, pools, theatres, auditoriums, football fields, outbuildings and greenhouses. The natural solution to the dilemma when one school closes or fails is to find another group that can use the facility as a school.  When that fails people must call upon a “Developer.”     

Who are developers?  Most are people or companies with vision, who can see an empty piece of property or an existing structure for what it can become.  Many have participated in the fields of architecture, engineering, marketing, real estate brokerage and urban/city planning.  Some developers are business people who are motivated strictly by profit.  Others, as I suspect those of you who are reading this, are motivated by loftier concerns: preserving our neighborhoods, our heritage, and certainly part of our culture as Americans. 

Schools mark an important place, like theatres that cannot be strictly defined by a dollars and sense approach. Alas, money does make the world go around, but school districts do not always need to “sell” property for cash.  Many school boards MUST come to the realization that teaching and education can be a part of the development of an old school.  Some schools can make it a community project allowing students, teachers, parents, community members, Neighborhood Associations, regional businesses, local and state government officials, foundations, charities, and representatives from big corporations, to sit at the same table trying to solve the dilemma of what to do with old schools.

Here is an example, of how these elements are being put together. THIS YORK SCHOOL PROJECT IS JUST STARTING - SO THERE IS NO GUARANTEE IT WILL SUCCEED.  Still, for those of you reading, it can be a textbook as to what to do and what not to do.  Every school project is unique. There are no cookie cutter solutions.