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See inside a defunct Macy's that underwent a $3.5 million transformation to become a high school in Vermont
See inside a defunct Macy's that underwent a $3.5 million transformation to become a high school in Vermont
Mary MeisenzahlApr 4, 2021, 18:58 IST
Downtown Burlington High School is located in a defunct Macy's store.AP Photo/Charles Krupa
A high school in Burlington, Vermont moved into a defunct Macy's store.
The school district spent $3.5 million renovating the department store into classrooms.
Some abandoned malls across the US are being repurposed for other uses.
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High school students in Burlington, Vermont are now attending school in what was once a Macy's department store in a local mall, Lisa Rathke reported for the Associated Press.
Downtown Burlington High School.
AP Photo/Charles Krupa
The district signed a six-month lease on the former Macy's location, spending $3.5 million to renovate the 150,000 square foot space so it would be useable as a school, Seven Days Vermont reported.
Downtown Burlington High School.
AP Photo/Charles Krupa
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The escalators are one of the features that make Downtown Burlington High School different from others. Students told the AP that escalators and elevators are "nice features" for students.
Downtown Burlington High School.
AP Photo/Charles Krupa
The cafeteria is in the space that once held Michael Kors products, and signs of the building's previous life as a mall are still around.
Downtown Burlington High School.
AP Photo/Charles Krupa
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"It's amazing to think that we are standing in what used to be a department store," Superintendent Tom Flanagan said at the opening ceremony.
Downtown Burlington High School.
Downtown Burlington High School.
The china department was transformed into a library, and shelves that once held dinnerware now hold books for high school students.
Downtown Burlington High School.
AP Photo/Charles Krupa
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Shuttered American malls are a symptom of the retail apocalypse that led to 9,300 store closings in 2019, 8,300 in 2020, and already more than 1,000 in 2021.
Downtown Burlington High School.
AP Photo/Charles Krupa
As malls close, some simply sit empty and abandoned. Others are being repurposed for new uses.
Downtown Burlington High School.
Downtown Burlington High School.