Serving O'Brien & Clay Counties
Serving O'Brien & Clay Counties
Owner of Hartley school says he's still committed to improvement project
The former H-M-S Elementary building has sat empty since the building closed 2021.
An architect's rendering of the north side.
An architect's rendering of the east side.
Michael Reese discusses plans for the former H-M-S Elementary building during a school board meeting in December of 2021.
The state of the former elementary school in Hartley remains unchanged more than two years after it switched ownership.
Michael Reese, whose firm Hestia Investments in 2021 purchased the school from the H-M-S Community School District, this week offered few details about progress and current state of the facility. Reese in December 2022 unveiled elaborate plans for the building, which closed in May of 2021 following the construction of the new elementary school and junior high.
Reese issued a statement to the Sentinel-News on Monday. The newspaper previously sent him multiple questions inquiring about the state of the building, interior progress, exterior maintenance, and other related topics. Reese declined to comment specifically, but offered an off-the-record interview instead.
The Sentinel-News declined the off-the-record interview due to a lack of relevance to its readers. Reese's full statement is included below.
"We are dedicated to the revitalization of the former school in Hartley, recognizing that the timeline has posed challenges. Despite this, ongoing maintenance and repairs are a testament to our commitment to the building. We are actively progressing within, laying the groundwork for a transformative renovation set to bring significant changes to the community.
While offers to repurpose the space for storage or other purposes have surfaced, our steadfast belief in the right philosophy for development and community well-being has guided our decisions. Regular engagements with the community affirm confidence in our long-term vision and commitment to their best interests. Our enthusiasm propels us forward, anticipating the project's implementation, and know that the end result will be a significant asset to Hartley and surrounding communities.
In recognizing this endeavor as a marathon, not a sprint, we remain steadfast in our commitment to enduring success for both the project and the community."
Reese in 2022 shared plans for Phase 1 of the elementary school project, which called for the construction of a two-story steel structure to be built around the existing one-story portion on the west side of the building. Back then, Reese explained the addition would allow Hestia to build new apartments instead of retrofitting living space from classrooms.
Plans called for approximately 30 apartments ranging from studio to three-bedroom units, with the existing one-story portion of the school dedicated to childcare programming. Renderings also called for an addition to the north that would provide tenants access to the building without interacting with children on the first floor.
Reese noted more announcements would be made in the future and said he hoped initial construction would begin in the spring of 2023, with some tenants moving in during the fall of that year.
Since purchasing the old school for $100 from the H-M-S school board, Hestia Investments has done very little at the building while plans were in development. However, a bad roof on the west side prompted immediate action. Though it wasn't completely replaced, Reese previously said repairs eventually stopped a deluge of water from soaking the building.
Reese has not shared any information regarding how the school project would be financed.
"Our companies are private and we do not share figures with the public," he wrote previously.
Reese in a phone conversation on Monday said he continues to have "private, one-on-one conversations" with local community members and is committed to making the school project "sustainable and better long-term for the community."
