Floating around the neighborhood the past few weeks has been a rumor that Metro was planning on selling the old Fehr School Building at the corner of 5th and Garfield. The building currently houses the Metro Action Commission and Headstart. Reportedly, the rumor began with a new owner who just bought property here.
Based on my belief that such a scenerio would be horrible for the long-term development and growth of the neighborhood, I immediately started contacting Metro Offices to verify the rumor. I found out that the building is not for sale.
So, I am relieved, because no sale means our chances of having a public elementary school in the area (instead of 10 miles out like it currently is) are still alive. Don't get me wrong: selling it to private developer to convert into lofts would definitely help the resale value of our property in the short-term. But it would also guarantee that we would not be sticking around in this neighborhood for any longer than the short-term.
If Salemtown is ever going to be more than just a lifestyle choice for empty-nesters who want to live Downtown, if it is ever going to be taken seriously as an established neighborhood that attracts diverse groups of people, then the Fehr School Building has to remain a public space. Preferably, it has to become a public space for educating children.
If Metro ever does sell it, you can take the "S-town" out of "Mike" because I will be out of here, at least until I become an empty-nester.
Can we start a request/petition/letter(s) to have Fehr School become a school again? Maybe if enough people want it and voice it, Metro will at least think about it. Who knows, maybe Metro doesn't even know that the people in the North End want Fehr School to be a school again.
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