Author of the article: HELEN MORLEY
Publishing date: Jul 29, 2021 • 15 hours ago • 3 minute read •
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In May, the Rainbow Community Non-Profit Housing completed a feasibility study on the original AB Ellis School building to find out if the structure was viable to be repurposed into rental units. An anonymous donor paid the $30,000 necessary to have the structure studied by Centreline Architecture. The firm found that, even though the original structure was 102 years old, it had been well maintained and any issues would be dealt with when the building was renovated. They envisioned making it into a multi-unit residential facility, with 44 rental units, 16 of which would be fully accessible.
When the original survey was done in 2019 to determine interest in repurposing the original AB Ellis Public School building into an apartment building, 212…
SHARE ON: The revamp of AB Ellis Public School into apartments shows plenty of parking for the school board. Layouts provided by Rainbow Community Non-Profit Housing
An assessment of the AB Ellis Public School building in Espanola has been completed as part of an ongoing effort to showcase the feasibility of having it retrofitted as apartments.
Fred Yackman, the chair of Rainbow Community Non-Profit Housing says the architects and engineers have completed their assessment of the condition of the building and preliminary design work.
He says the group is finalizing the analysis of the housing demand survey to determine interest in one- and- two-bedroom apartments located at 128 Park Street.
SHARE ON: Kate Bowman is the lead the architect on the project and partner at Centreline Architecture - with dark hair and black glasses with Gary Clackett who is a Director of the RCNPH.
The other people taking part include
Shannon Busch P.Eng
Equipoise Engineering
Principal Engineer
Mechanical/Electrical and David Gatien P.Eng
Tall Pines Engineering
Principal Structural Engineer.
Photos by Lynne-Dee Sproule
Converting AB Ellis Public School in Espanola to senior and low-income housing is the focus of an ongoing series of studies being carried out by Rainbow Community Non-Profit Housing.
Corporation spokesperson Fred Yackman says a survey was carried out over the last couple of months to confirm to funders there is enough demand to justify converting the building and to also help designers understand individual housing needs.
Espanola residents have a few more days left to register an opinion with a local group that wants to convert the former A.B. Ellis school building into rental…