What structures are the most important to and symbolic of your community? The first structures that come to mind are government buildings and schools for many communities. If these government buildings and schools are historic, then they feel even more important to them.
However, these historic structures eventually meet their limit and are no longer functional. They were built for different times and for different community needs. Many communities then wonder, is it better to replace or renovate an old school? The answer will depend on your specific situation, but we provide some guidance below.
Better for Your Budget: Renovations
Old schools, especially those built before the 1960s, are often iconic historical buildings in a community. However, just because these schools look cool doesn’t mean they function properly. You will need to hire someone to professionally assess the old school you want to potentially renovate or replace. You need to know about asbestos removal and other costly renovations to prepare for this assessment.
Afterward, the assessor will tell you how much time and money it will take to renovate the building. You can compare these finances and time with your financial and time budget.
Often, renovations are cheaper and take less time than a replacement—meaning you can afford to renovate your old school and keep it in your community.
Better for Your Community: Renovations
As we mentioned above, many old school buildings are iconic. If they no longer serve the community, then you may need to replace them. However, if the renovations you can afford will meet your community’s needs, you should focus on renovating instead of replacing them.
Keeping this iconic building and making it function better for your community’s needs will encourage civic pride. This renovated space will also give older community members a place to fondly reflect on the past while younger community members prepare for the future.
Better for New Systems: Replacement
Sometimes, despite the size of the budget and how a community feels, you must replace an old school. Replacement is most common when the new systems the school needs will not function in the old space, even with renovations. New safety, electrical, and ventilation systems are just three examples of the changes an old school building may need but cannot accommodate. In these cases, function and safety for the community must come first, and you should replace the building.
Deciding whether it is better to replace or renovate an old school comes down to budget, community, and renovation needs. If you can afford to fix up the old building, then you should do so and help your community thrive. If the renovations, especially for new necessary systems, will not work in the old building, you should replace them.
