LAUREL — The new owners of the old Laurel school building say that while they're still deciding what to do, they do see themselves as stewards preserving a part of Laurel.
“We feel like our job here really is to just bring this building into its next 100 years of use,” said Jeff Riggs.
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Riggs imagines kids playing basketball in the historic gym that is separate from the big building that was the high school, middle school, and most recently, the administration building.
“You can just feel the standing room only crowds in here watching a basketball game, cheering on the Locomotives back in the day,” Riggs said.
He sees the possibilities despite hearing that the gymnasium would have to be torn down.
“We feel like this is just an iconic building in the community, and we have zero intentions of tearing it down,” Riggs said.
Riggs and his old college buddies and current business partners, Just Humphrey and Keith Waring, purchased the building in July at an online auction for $150,300.
Before any renovations, they're shoring up both buildings, making sure there's no further deterioration.
And in this process, they've already come across history such as report cards from the 1937-38 school year.
“Every kid's grades are still in here,” said Humphrey. “It's just such a super cool building and the people that went through here. I think about the thousands, tens of thousands, probably, Laurel kids that went through here. ”
This contractor team has renovated several old buildings, including an old church in Butte, which had just finished in 2022.
“We've worked on projects together, so I think we've got a really good team here,” Humphrey said.
Ideas for what could be are flying, and they could turn this school into apartments, offices, and maybe even spaces for businesses such as a coffee shop.
And business owners that are here just walking distance from the old school welcome any kind of renovations.
“New citizens coming in will help the local businesses,” said Miguel Hernandez, La Taqueria owner. “We definitely need the help, and especially if they buy local, and eat dinner and stuff like that, locally. Then that'll give a little boost to the local economy for sure.”
And they like the idea of keeping the gym too.
“That would be amazing,” said John Smith, Palace Lanes owner. “Laurel is really low on recreational activity right now. It would be great if we could bring some more recreation to the city of Laurel."
Riggs, Humphrey, and Waring want to keep as much of the building as possible intact.
“It's the communities, and we're stewards of the building, and our job is to make it last and be prosperous for the next 100 years,” Riggs said.
The team plans to invite the public next month to give ideas on the renovation.
