Ex-shopping centres to become seniors housing health care hubs
NEW YORK: The trend to recycle shopping centres into seniors housing, community care and educational use is now well advanced.
Unfortunately, the Macy’s department store, located in the north-east of the United States just 70 kilometres from the Canadian border, closed down in 2018.
But a serious health hazard just over 3 kilometres away has given the building a new life.
Last year, a high school in Burlington was shut down because toxic industrial chemicals, known as PCBs, were found in the building and soil during renovations.
This left students stuck at home learning remotely for much of the school year during the coronavirus pandemic.
As school officials looked for space where students could attend school in-person, they eventually eyed the empty department store.
They talked with architects and learned it was a possible to transform the former centre into a high school.
The building underwent a $US3.5 million ($4.6million) retrofit, adding partial walls for classrooms while keeping some store’s remnants.
The sparkly white tile floors remain, along with bright red carpeting, and large signs advertising well-known brands.
Students take lifts and escalators to their classes.
The library is housed in the former dinnerware department, with books displayed on under-lit shelves, while the gym is in a former store’s warehouse and is still unfinished.
The Downtown Burlington High School opened on March 4, about six months after school administrators closed the existing school.
Student Lila Iyengar Lehman said she was happy to finally be back in the classroom, after spending months working from home.
“I just am so much happier being around people. It’s way better than being stuck at home on your computer all day long,” the 18-year-old said.
“And although the situation’s weird, I think, you know, everyone’s doing the best with the circumstances so I think it’s pretty great overall.
“It’s really, really nice to see all my friends.
“I forgot how much I miss all those little interactions with people like passing in the hallways and saying ‘Hi’ to teachers and just chatting with your friends.”
Unlike the other school, classrooms are closer together, so students get to see their classmates and teachers, creating a sense of community, Superintendent Tom Flanagan said.
Just half of nearly 1,000 students attend at a time.
The district has leased the building for three and a half years while it learns more about the chemicals at the old school and what needs to be done.