Redevelopment
Efforts to renovate the former high school intensified in 1989 when the Albuquerque City Council authorized funds to purchase the property. In 1996, after years of legal wrangling, the city succeeded in acquiring four of the five campus buildings for $1.5 million. The city eventually settled on a plan to convert the buildings into loft apartments in a joint venture with a private developer, and work began in 2001. The Classroom Building and Old Main were the first to be renovated, followed by the Gymnasium, Library, and finally the separately-owned Manual Arts Building. The renovation preserved many interior details such as doors, handrails, and even blackboards. The gymnasium and library reading room are protected spaces and have also been preserved.
The success of the project spurred further revitalization efforts in the surrounding area, leading the city to draft an East Downtown master plan in 2005 to guide future development.
Read more about this topic: Old Albuquerque High School