Dad Lives In Abandoned High School With His Wife And Baby After Transforming It Into Their Home

Oct 21, 2020

Husband and wife Charles and Lisa Shaw bought an abandoned junior high school in Durango, Colorado back in 1998 and turned it into their home.

Colorado is becoming one of the most popular states in the 21st century for a variety of reasons. Visitors travel from around the country to witness the state's amazing landscapes, national parks, and scenery. There are many other people moving to Colorado because of the progressive attitude and social conventions that are changing the dynamic of many cities within the state.

There is also a vibrant artist community that is inspired by Colorado's combination of city-life and wilderness.

Charles Shaw saw this opportunity nearly two decades ago. Along with his wife Lisa, Shaw purchased an abandoned and dilapidated high school in the city of Durango, Colorado. Despite the building's age and rough condition, the Shaws still had to spend a lot of money to obtain the rights to the vacant high school.

Charles told Respectful Revolution that he was inspired by the giant building that housed over 45,000 square feet of space within solid brick walls. He wanted to turn the building into a mixed-use space for the local community. This was a life-long dream of his that was close to becoming reality.

Charles had originally planned for the space to be an artistic hub where creative individuals could work on their projects and passions. Within a few months of use, it was clear that the current state of the building was not sustainable.

The energy bill was costing Charles over $5,000 of his personal savings. Despite his desire to keep the building alive, the monthly utility bill was simply too high. It required a lot of energy to run the old high school.

Instead of abandoning his dream, Charles decided to get creative. He installed LED lighting throughout the building. He also started to control the ventilation system with motion sensors. This ensured that rooms were only using energy when people were present.

In addition, Charles installed solar panels to power the entire building. With all of these changes, Charles was able to reduce the monthly utility bill to less than $400. These creative solutions helped to keep his dream alive.

Charles currently lives in the renovated high school with his wife and their young child. There are several other artists and non-profits that also inhabit the same space.

The area has been dubbed the "Smiley Building" and is a landmark in the small town of Durango. It is probably the most energy-dependent and most efficient building in the entire country. After seeing photos of this amazing building, everyone will want to visit this stunning place.

What do you think of this story? Would you ever move into an abandoned building like this family did? Let us know in the comments and pass this along to your friends and family to see what they think, too!