School 86 Preservation Update and Upcoming Listening Session

As many readers will know I have been advocating for the preservation and adaptive reuse of former IPS School 86 located at 49th and Boulevard (more info and history here). The former school building is owned by Butler University and is currently standing unoccupied. There was some media attention for these efforts over the summer, and I have been contacted by a few developers with interest in the property. Those groups were referred to Indiana Landmarks to facilitate the connection with Butler’s administration.

Back in October Butler hosted the first of a series of listening sessions with members of the community about the future of the property. Around 30 people attended this event, and we had a robust discussion, led by Richard McCoy from Landmark Columbus Foundation, about the potential future use of the school building and the land where it sits. Several ideas were proposed, including space for professional offices, an arts facility (similar to the Stutz complex downtown), a school, and housing. For housing, various options were suggested by attendees, including condos and apartments, and alumni housing options, a growing trend on university campuses nationwide. Many of those who spoke wanted the historical nature of the building to be maintained and to continue to contribute to the character of the neighborhood.

Richard McCoy moderates the discussion during the first School 86 listening session in October.

It seems the most financially viable option for the property is likely to be housing related, especially when you consider how other former IPS schools have been reused across the city. While another use could certainly benefit the community, in the end, the adaptive reuse has to make financial sense to Butler, and any potential partners on the project. At present, Butler has not made any decisions about the future of the property.

The interest from neighbors at the October listening session was great to see and I’m hoping those who attended will remain engaged with the efforts to preserve School 86. The second listening session is this Tuesday, November 19, at 6:30 p.m. at Dugan Hall on Butler's campus. A Facebook Event has been created for this session. If you plan to attend, please indicate so on the event so we know how many attendees expect.