Big plans for Lincoln Elementary

Sweet little Lincoln Elementary School, which had served the Roswell neighborhood since 1948, was closed down two years ago and has stood empty ever since. To me, there's something very sad about a school closing. For some reason it really bums me out. Anyway, Lincoln sits just four blocks west of my studio, and the property has been up for grabs for the last couple of years. There was quite a lot of talk - and concern - about how it should be used. Roswell is a nice little neighborhood, and its residents wanted to make sure the school didn't end up becoming an eyesore or a nuisance. Another old school in town, Ivywild, has been successfully repurposed over the last few years into a sort of neighborhood gathering place; a brewpub, a market, an event center and so on. The thought was to do the same with Lincoln Elementary, but there were plenty of other ideas thrown into the ring (all of them bad) before a developer bought the property in October. Thankfully, Ivywild's success has inspired the new owners, who are planning something similar. They've been hard at work remodeling the space, which will include at least one brewery, a coffee place, some professional offices, and a restaurant or two. That's fantastic news! The Old North End and Ivywild could use more dining options, and I'm glad to hear that Lincoln Elementary will live on and thrive in its new incarnation. I can't wait for it to open!