Using Old Schools for Economic Development

Baltic is looking for ideas on how to put its old school building to good use. For good ideas, they need look no further than Madison. As did Baltic, Madison gave up three perfectly good neighborhood schools, nestled in the heart of residential areas and built a new boxy building out on the edge of town. (School districts seem to have no sense of community design... but that's a different issue.)

Fortunately, where the Madison school district saw crummy old buildings, various movers and shakers saw opportunities. Garfield Elementary first went to a local businessperson who considered converting the building to apartments but decided not to follow through. He sold to a young couple, Michael and Reyna Hope, who had graduated from Madison HS, moved away to the Twin Cities, but then decided they wanted to come back to Madison, if they could just find the right business opportunity. They bought Garfield and converted its classrooms into...

1. a big studio for Michael's international stained glass business
2. Hope Nouveau Boutique, Reyna's store for local and area artists
3. a collection of businesses and organizations that have included a classy consignment shop, yoga and dance classes, and a youth ministry
4. Michael and Reyna's spectacular third-floor apartment, surely the funkiest living space in all of Lake County.

Michael and Reyna have had about four years to work on their multi-faceted renovation of Garfield School. Washington and Lincoln elementaries were sold just last year. The local Wesleyans have already knocked down the walls between church and state (at least a few them must be enjoying the metaphor) and converted Lincoln into their first permanent facitility in Madison. They've done an impressive job of converting the old gym and little stage into a very tasteful sanctuary. The classrooms now serve as Sunday school spaces and meeting rooms. And the congregation has the entire block for parking, greenspace, and outdoor church events.

Washington School served as temporary home for the Madison Christian School (which has now moved to its new home outside of town -- but again, what's with schools abandoning the heart of the community?). Last I heard, the owner is turning the building into apartments, just as a developer did with the old junior high downtown.

As Madison demonstrates, Baltic has lots of options for its old school building. The key is not just to slap some historic marker on the front but to find a use (or many uses, as the Hopes have!) that brings people into the building and traffic into the downtown area. Breathe life into the building, and you breathe life into the local economy.