As a little girl from a small country school, Vivienne Kenyon found the two-story Calkins School Building in Cortez an imposing structure when she first attended in 1934.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe building seemed so large to me,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
A third grader at the time, Kenyon recalls studying art, music, math, reading and health from a first-floor classroom at the Calkins School. She and her classmates only got to go upstairs when visiting the library. And recess, complete with a playground, was truly a novel experience.<\/p>\n
\u201cI had never seen a slippery slide before,\u201d Kenyon said. \u201cIt was all new to me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nearly 70 years later, Kenyon\u2019s nostalgia about the school led her on an effort in 2001 to help preserve the Calkins Building. She helped secure a grant from the Colorado Historical Society with hopes of restoring the structure to become a museum.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a fine old building,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s long lasting and durable.\u201d<\/p>\n
The museum never happened and the building currently sits empty, but Kenyon was pleased to learn that the Montezuma-Cortez School District Re-1 board voted unanimously earlier this week to officially nominate the Calkins Building be listed as one of the state\u2019s most endangered places. If approved, the measure would give the building added exposure to outside investors, said Linda Towle, director of the Cortez Historic Preservation Board.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe building is all boarded up, and we are very concerned about its future,\u201d she said. \u201cAnother $4 to $5 million is needed to complete the restoration.\u201d<\/p>\n
By listing the Calkins Building as one of Colorado\u2019s Most Endangered Places, Towle said the former school would receive additional exposure, possibly helping to entice an outside developer to move on the building.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s going to start falling a part,\u201d superintendent Alex Carter told board members Wednesday. \u201cIt\u2019s an important building in the community, and I don\u2019t see any downfall for us.\u201d<\/p>\n
Towle reassured board members at their meeting that nominating the historic structure to the state\u2019s endangered places list would not obligate taxpayers for any added expenses in the future. The annual listing receives approximately three dozen nominations, and usually a handful of structures are ultimately approved, she added.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can\u2019t promise anyone will show up to buy the building, but it does alert developers that it\u2019s here,\u201d Towle told school officials.<\/p>\n
School board treasurer Brian Demby said the Calkins Building has prime real estate development potential, pointing out the grounds itself may be more enticing to developers than the building.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe building takes the shine off the apple,\u201d he said metaphorically, \u201cbut there\u2019s a lot of apple there on site.\u201d<\/p>\n
The deadline to nominate the Calkins Building to the 2014 Colorado Most Endangered Places list is Aug. 16.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe city, county and the hospital have all expressed interest in the past, but I think an outside developer will be the one to help save the building,\u201d Towle said.<\/p>\n
The school district currently owns the Calkins Building, which underwent a second phase of construction in 2011 to remodel the structure for administrative purposes. The renovation project was later shelved due to lack of funding, with officials estimating at the time that an additional $2.5 million was needed to completely refurbish the structure.<\/p>\n
The Calkins Building served as the Cortez schoolhouse from its construction in 1909 until 1947. Junior-high students attended the school through the 1966-\u201967 school year. Last used for school administrative offices until evacuated in 2008, the building is currently listed on the Cortez City Register of Historic Structures, Sites and Districts.<\/p>\n
Swedish immigrant Peter Baxstrom constructed the Calkins Building in 1909. During the influenza epidemic of 1918, Dr. Royal W. Calkins, a local physician and former Speaker of the Colorado House of Representatives for whom the building is named, was credited with saving 462 lives.<\/p>\n
Nearly a century later, Kenyon is hopeful the historic building will now be saved. She and her husband, Phillip, both have fond memories of the structure. He was a year ahead of her when they both attended the Calkins School.<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t pay much attention to him when I was in grade school,\u201d Kenyon said, \u201cbut we will celebrate our 66th wedding anniversary this year.\u201d<\/p>\n