santa fe school property adaptive reuse project gets green light

A former Santa Fe public school is on its way toward redevelopment as a mixed-use commercial and residential space.
Members of the Santa Fe Planning Commission have given their approval to a plan allowing the property located at 551 Alarid Street to be repurposed.

Built in the 1930s, the 31,000 square-foot Alvord Elementary School was closed in the spring of 2010 by the Santa Fe Public Schools system as part of a district-wide consolidation effort.

Last November, Santa Fe real estate broker David Barker led a group of investors in purchasing the one-story brick building and 2.9-acre site for $2.5 million with the stated idea of transforming the property into a combination of art studios, offices, residential units, and storage space.

The proposal, which has been the subject of overwhelmingly positive public input, now awaits the full approval of the Santa Fe City Council.

Located just west of the Santa Fe Railyards, the school has been shuttered for the last several years. An earlier move by the City of Santa Fe to redevelop the building for administrative purposes never gained traction.

By Garry Boulard