CARBONDALE, Pa. — The old Roosevelt School is a landmark along Salem Avenue in Carbondale. But for more than 25 years, it has sat empty.
The building is now run down and in need of some work. People who live in the Pioneer City are proud of its history and hate that many buildings have recently turned into rubble.
"Everywhere you look, there's just parking lots, buildings being torn down. I don't know who owns them, but they could have made something out of them," said resident Patricia Hopkins.
But there is hope for the former school. Ofra Beigel is the CEO of OB International Real Estate Development. She recently purchased the property and has plans to renovate the building into apartments.
"We're trying to bring good, not just for the community; it's also for the city. I mean, if you have buildings that are standing there with no purpose and bringing only bad stuff into it, how will the city ever develop?" Beigel asked.
"With all the industrial development going on, on Route 6, a lot of people are coming in. A lot of jobs are coming in. So there is a definite need for more apartments," said John Ackerman, the project engineer.
Neighbors who live near the old school describe it as something out of a horror movie and are glad it won't look like this for much longer.
"It's so sad looking across over here, you know, where there used to be life. There isn't now, but there will be soon," said Ann Marie Craig. "I'm very optimistic."
In addition to the apartments, there are plans for a coffee shop on the lower level, which will feature pieces of the school's history.
"We found the trophy, so things like that to exhibit in the coffee shop, to be able to show the history that's tied in," Ackerman said.
Beigel says they are still working out details with the city regarding parking for the building but hope to move forward with construction soon.
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