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Creating a beautiful space to reflect our wonderful valley!

We will restore the St. Anthony school building to honor our history, preserve our legacy, and embrace the future. Restoring and preserving the historic building will create a gathering place that unites and serves the Peñasco area through its history, culture and traditions, and will empower the community.

Project Progress and Next Steps

The restoration of the historic Old Peñasco High School is progressing steadily. We are currently in the Planning Stage, the first of two major stages in our effort to rehabilitate this iconic adobe building into a thriving community hub.

Two-Stage Process

Our restoration follows a federally recognized model for historic preservation, which includes:

Stage 1: Planning — Developing all required construction documents, architectural designs, permits, and cost estimates.
Stage 2: Rehabilitation Work (Construction) — Executing the physical restoration based on approved plans.

Current Progress in the Planning Stage

The Planning Stage is divided into six phases. Thanks to the dedication of our team and support from state and private funders, we’ve already made significant progress:

Phases I & II – Complete
Initial planning, site analysis, and programming are finished and fully funded.
Phases III, IV & V – Funded and Underway
Schematic design, design development, and construction documents are in progress. These phases include architectural, structural, mechanical, and HVAC planning. They are funded through the Destination Forward grant from the New Mexico Tourism Department and additional sources.
Phase VI – Not Yet Funded
Landscape design will follow the completion of design and construction documents.

Alongside architectural planning, we have also completed or are in the final stages of several important site assessments and preparation tasks:

✔ Environmental assessment
✔ Asbestos abatement
✔ Pest inspection
✔ Southwest corner stabilization project (funding secured, work to begin soon)
⧗ Geotechnical and percolation testing (near completion)
✔ Grading and drainage plan funded and initiated

What’s Next

Once the planning phases are complete (targeted for August 2025), we’ll be ready to begin construction in Fall 2026.

We're actively seeking funding for the final planning phases and the next major milestone: full rehabilitation of the structure. This includes restoring adobe walls, removing the non-original pitched roof, rebuilding original buttresses, updating utilities, and ensuring ADA accessibility.

Learn how this space will serve our community through Cultural Preservation, Economic Development, and Community Service.