Lansford School Transition - KXNet - Bismarck/Minot/Williston/Dickinson

Lansford School Transition

As the population of small town North Dakota fell off years ago, small schools were shut down -- consolidated with area schools.

Lansford was one such school.

The once bustling spot in town has sat quiet for quite some time now.

But that period seems to be coming to an end.

Perry Olson has more.

Here in Lansford...the trophies earned by the Cubs years ago still are displayed proudly...even though the school is no more...Matt Martin is walking in the old school -- now apartments...

(Matt Martin - Up Town Properties LLC) "We left the plaque up too."

Up Town Properties, owned by two local men, has just completed 8 apartment units here. One and two bedrooms ranging in price from 850 to 12-hundred dollars...

(Matt Martin - Up Town Properties LLC) "This is one of our one bedrooms...and this is actually the old office and teacher's lounge."

It's a new use for a school that has sat empty for quite some time now...and that period without kids chasing through these halls led to some big upgrades that needed to be made...

(Matt Martin - Up Town Properties LLC) "They put a roof, a new roof over both wings because there was some water leaking and stuff..."

The elementary wing has been changed to apartments now...and if successful, the second wing could see the same project soon. But even though these are now homes...that school feel is certainly still evident...

(Matt Martin - Up Town Properties LLC) "We still have the tiles on the walls...we left that on purpose to give it that school feel. Anyone who has gone to one of these old schools will remember that. Salmon colored tile that all these schools have..."

And this gem as well...

(Matt Martin - Up Town Properties LLC) "We didn't have the heart to tear that out! It doesn't work..."

But it seems this transition will work...bringing much needed living space to the region, and breathing life into a building filled with history. In Lansford, Perry Olson, KX News.

The apartments just opened up a few weeks ago, and one unit has been filled thus far.