Denver school officials want to sell three vacant school buildings in an effort to jettison excess space and generate some cash for the district.
During a study session Monday, administrators recommended that Denver Public Schools sell Gove and Byers middle schools and Remington Elementary, a school shuttered last year due to declining enrollment and woeful achievement.
If the DPS board agrees to the plan, a series of public meetings will be held before a June vote.
“We have properties that are just sitting there, and some are losing values,” said David Suppes, chief operating officer. “It’s our responsibility to go and push forward some decisions.”
The district studied a total of 12 facilities — most of which are vacant — focusing on future enrollment patterns and demand on surrounding schools.
The district is recommending holding onto eight of the 12 buildings — four of which are in use now.
One of the schools is Knight Fundamental Academy, which will be vacated at the end of this school year. The district wants to move an early-childhood learning center into the building — easing crowding in preschool and kindergarten classes at Bromwell, Steck, Cory and Steele elementaries.
An earlier plan would have put the learning center at Merrill Middle School, but Suppes said moving to Knight will be cheaper than renovating Merrill.
Selling Byers, Gove and Remington would net the district millions of dollars that would be directed back into classrooms, Suppes said.
Byers, built in 1921, is a registered historic landmark “with deep emotional significance to the surrounding neighborhood,” according to a 2008 report by the Urban Land Institute.
The school has been closed since 2003, when Denver School of the Arts left. Neighborhood groups want the building saved and reused. But it is in disrepair and would cost millions of dollars for the district to restore.
The urban institute’s report urged the district to sell the property soon — before its value erodes further.
If the property is approved for a sale, the district would take bids and could refuse any proposal, Suppes said.
Dennis Devore lives across the street from the school and said he hopes someone will buy the property and turn it into condominiums or office space.
“It’s just been sitting there derelict, and it’s falling to pieces,” Devore said. “It would be a prime property. Cherry Creek Mall is not far, light rail is in walking distance and downtown is seven to eight minutes away.”
Gove has been vacant for four years. National Jewish Health has expressed interest in the building.
And Remington was shut down along with Smedley Elementary last year. The students were relocated to Horace Mann Middle School, which was changed to accommodate preschoolers through eighth-graders.
Population trends show the area around Smedley and Remington will have some of the lowest growth rates in the city — increasing only 3 percent over the next 10 years. This means one of the buildings will be unnecessary.
Jeremy P. Meyer: 303-954-1367 or jpmeyer@denverpost.com
The schools
Byers Middle School, west of the Denver Country Club, was built in 1921 and is a registered historic landmark. It has been closed since 2003.
Gove Middle School, near East Colfax Avenue and Colorado Boulevard, was built in 1975. It has been vacant for four years.
Remington Elementary School, located in northwest Denver, was built in 1954. It was shut down last year.
