CLOSED SCHOOLS, OPEN MINDS:
How to bring new life to shuttered schools in the Hudson Valley
Public school districts in the Hudson Valley have closed at least 46 school buildings over the past 25 years, as district leaders respond to sharp declines in student enrollment, along with political and economic pressure to reduce the burden on local taxpayers.
In this report – Closed Schools, Open Minds – Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress documents the school buildings that have closed throughout our region, the demographic and economic factors that led to these closures, and examples of adaptive re-use projects that brought new life to old schools in our region and across the United States.
Pattern hopes to inspire the region to think beyond the last bell when one of our school buildings must close. Communities in our region and across the United States have transformed old school buildings into community centers and event spaces, housing, art galleries, training centers, and mixed-use hubs where people live and work.
By issuing this report, Pattern hopes to inspire the Hudson Valley to think about closed school buildings as opportunities to rejuvenate our neighborhoods and improve the quality of life in the heart of our communities.
