Southeast Fort Wayne residents are hoping to save elementary school from demolition

The hope is to have the building standing until a developer picks it up, and with the help of a nonprofit called Arch Inc.

They believe it can be restored.

Petroviak thanks for joining us.some residents on the southeast side of fort wayne are hoping to save an old fort wayne elementary school at risk for demolition.today they demonstrated in front of the school to make people aware of why they believe it's worth saving.fox 55's jentill neal tells us more about what people would like to see there.

Jentill?hunter, the hope is to have the building standing until a developer picks it up, and with the help of a nonprofit called arch inc.

They believe it can be restored.

Louis c.

Ward elementary school has been standing on the corner of oxford and warsaw streets for one hundred years... when it closed in 20-17 neighbors hoped it could be turned into something for the community.

But they recently learned the district planned to demolish it.

> 05:26:53-05:26:53"i know the city wants to say demolishing old houses or whatever is stabilization, but no.

There's a point where it goes to far, and that's where we are.

It's gone to far as removing the character of this area because there are too many areas with one to no structures left in it."today neighbors demonstrated in front of the school asking that it be restored instead.

> 05:28:15-05:28:34"your options are not gone.

Transfer the building to arch.

Give arch some of that demolition budget so they can maintain the building and search for developers, and then in that process as a community we'll participate too with some of the ideas that we have."

Fort wayne community schools today released a statement to fox 55 news today saying it considered the building for alternative learning ... but it required millions of dollars in repairs and renovations.

The district says they already have a newer building they can usethe nonprofit arch inc.

Is all about bringing life to historical buildings.

Arch inc.'s executive director connie haas zuber says that can be done here.

She's been meeting with the district to discuss its potential.> 05:35:46-05:36:08"any option is still possible.

Once you tear it down all of that is gone.

This building represents like so many of our old buildings- a heritage investment and i see no reason why we should waste that."

Krista stockman with fort wayne community schools says plans are currently on hold for demolition.

Fwcs officials will meet with community leaders, elected officials and arch to discuss the building later this month.reporting live in fort wayne jentill neal ... fox 55 news.