This School In Vermont Has Been Installed In A Former Macy’s And The Vibe Is Unlike Anything Else, Not Only Because Of The Escalators (20 Pics)

On Tuesday, both educators and students in Burlington, Vermont, celebrated the opening of a temporary high school in an old Macy’s department store.

The original Burlington High School building was closed due to chemical contamination concerns.

But as students entered the new “Downtown BHS,” they were happy to resume in-person learning. Also, their school’s new home still had many original features revealing it was a place to shop, and providing content for quite a few amusing social media posts.

Burlington High School was closed due to chemical contamination concerns

This School In Vermont Has Been Installed In A Former Macy's And The Vibe Is Unlike Anything Else, Not Only Because Of The Escalators (20 Pics)

Image credits: mirandaljunggg

But it reopened in an old Macy’s building

This School In Vermont Has Been Installed In A Former Macy's And The Vibe Is Unlike Anything Else, Not Only Because Of The Escalators (20 Pics)

Image credits: mirandaljunggg

“I’m definitely excited,” sophomore Daniel Gibson told NECN of the new school building opening. “It’s just harder to do school online.”

Gibson and his fellow students haven’t been able to attend the city’s regular high school since last March.

Both teachers and students are pretty excited about the changes

@mirandaljunggg ♬ baby one more time x levitating – Adam Wright

At first, the pandemic closed it to in-person learning. But then, right before this academic year, word got out that potentially harmful chemicals linked to old construction materials were found in the air inside.

This combination meant far more remote learning for BHS kids than just about anywhere else.

Inside, some classroom walls still remind students of the products that were sold here

This School In Vermont Has Been Installed In A Former Macy's And The Vibe Is Unlike Anything Else, Not Only Because Of The Escalators (20 Pics)

Image credits: mirandaljunggg

This School In Vermont Has Been Installed In A Former Macy's And The Vibe Is Unlike Anything Else, Not Only Because Of The Escalators (20 Pics)

Image credits: mirandaljunggg

This School In Vermont Has Been Installed In A Former Macy's And The Vibe Is Unlike Anything Else, Not Only Because Of The Escalators (20 Pics)

Image credits: mirandaljunggg

“Yes, there is the importance of understanding content in the classroom, but there’s also that human connection piece and just growing through discourse and conversation,” interim BHS Principal Lauren McBride said.

McBride joined school district representatives and elected officials in thanking the many people who worked tirelessly to make this conversation a reality.

The escalator leads to a former jewelry section

This School In Vermont Has Been Installed In A Former Macy's And The Vibe Is Unlike Anything Else, Not Only Because Of The Escalators (20 Pics)

Image credits: mirandaljunggg

Here’s a video tour of the premises

Image credits: Cat Cutillo

The school district highlighted that getting a safe space for in-person classes has been a priority

This School In Vermont Has Been Installed In A Former Macy's And The Vibe Is Unlike Anything Else, Not Only Because Of The Escalators (20 Pics)

Image credits: Cat Cutillo

This School In Vermont Has Been Installed In A Former Macy's And The Vibe Is Unlike Anything Else, Not Only Because Of The Escalators (20 Pics)

Image credits: Cat Cutillo

Gov. Phil Scott, R-Vermont, also shared some good news

This School In Vermont Has Been Installed In A Former Macy's And The Vibe Is Unlike Anything Else, Not Only Because Of The Escalators (20 Pics)

Image credits: Cat Cutillo

The governor announced all Vermont teachers, school staff, and employees of child care centers will be eligible for COVID-19 vaccines starting next week

This School In Vermont Has Been Installed In A Former Macy's And The Vibe Is Unlike Anything Else, Not Only Because Of The Escalators (20 Pics)

Image credits: Cat Cutillo

WCAX reported that the conversion took 10 weeks and had a $10 million budget. The old school closed in September, and they’re planning on using the converted Macy’s store as a temporary location for up to 3 years, depending on how long it takes to clean up and renovate BHS.

This School In Vermont Has Been Installed In A Former Macy's And The Vibe Is Unlike Anything Else, Not Only Because Of The Escalators (20 Pics)

Image credits: Cat Cutillo

This School In Vermont Has Been Installed In A Former Macy's And The Vibe Is Unlike Anything Else, Not Only Because Of The Escalators (20 Pics)

Image credits: Cat Cutillo

The conversion took about 10 weeks

This School In Vermont Has Been Installed In A Former Macy's And The Vibe Is Unlike Anything Else, Not Only Because Of The Escalators (20 Pics)

Image credits: Cat Cutillo

This School In Vermont Has Been Installed In A Former Macy's And The Vibe Is Unlike Anything Else, Not Only Because Of The Escalators (20 Pics)

Image credits: Cat Cutillo

And had a budget of $10 million

This School In Vermont Has Been Installed In A Former Macy's And The Vibe Is Unlike Anything Else, Not Only Because Of The Escalators (20 Pics)

Image credits: Cat Cutillo

This School In Vermont Has Been Installed In A Former Macy's And The Vibe Is Unlike Anything Else, Not Only Because Of The Escalators (20 Pics)

Image credits: Cat Cutillo

This School In Vermont Has Been Installed In A Former Macy's And The Vibe Is Unlike Anything Else, Not Only Because Of The Escalators (20 Pics)

Image credits: Cat Cutillo

This School In Vermont Has Been Installed In A Former Macy's And The Vibe Is Unlike Anything Else, Not Only Because Of The Escalators (20 Pics)

Image credits: Cat Cutillo

“Honestly it feels genuinely better than the old BHS campus. You can truly feel how much time and effort went into building it,” Aria Batten, 16, told BuzzFeed News.

“They truly thought out the safety and construction behind it, and it makes me feel really good.”

This School In Vermont Has Been Installed In A Former Macy's And The Vibe Is Unlike Anything Else, Not Only Because Of The Escalators (20 Pics)

Image credits: Cat Cutillo

This School In Vermont Has Been Installed In A Former Macy's And The Vibe Is Unlike Anything Else, Not Only Because Of The Escalators (20 Pics)

Image credits: Cat Cutillo

Here’s what people said about the conversion

This School In Vermont Has Been Installed In A Former Macy's And The Vibe Is Unlike Anything Else, Not Only Because Of The Escalators (20 Pics)

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Rokas is a writer at Bored Panda with a BA in Communication. After working for a sculptor, he fell in love with visual storytelling and enjoys covering everything from TV shows (any Sopranos fans out there?) to photography. Throughout his years in Bored Panda, over 300 million people have read the posts he's written, which is probably more than he could count to.

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What do you think ?

POST

birdie asf 3 years ago

That sounds super cool - honestly I would probably look forward to going to school if it were in a former Macy's building just because it's a pretty crazy experience. This is what should happen to all unused buildings, we should re purpose them instead of letting them just sit there and take up space.

56points

K. 3 years ago

I’m glad you think that way. We have to be flexible where we can and adapt to meet the challenges we face.

12points

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Little Dino 3 years ago

I think that this is great. the mall is large enough and gives them space to social distance while remaining to be safer than their original school. cool!

24points

Joonscrab 3 years ago

Right! I see no downsides! Plus, it's easier for kids to carry their heavy bags on an escalator than climbing up :D

25points

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"Simo Häyhä" 3 years ago

It sounds great but then you think about the fact that it means America's malls work better as schools than the actual schools.... (Not trying to turn this into something negative, it IS a good thing none the less)

11points

Alexis draskinis 3 years ago

Its probably because most malls were built after the school building were & were already prepared for large amounts of people. Granted, i dont like in VT but it live in CT & a ton of our schools were built ages ago. They were made to hold 1 grade lv at a time vs having 3 8th grade groups sharing rooms for example. Or were made to have a school total of a few hundred kids & now have to house 100 kids just in 1 grade lv. They're def trying to play catch up &/or build more schools BUT that usually means more taxes. Being our taxes are already pretty high for the US, it can be slow...

2points

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Christie Schmitz 3 years ago

We have an old abandoned mall that sat empty for many years. A few years ago they turned part of it into a new school at one end of the mall. The other end was turned into a new police precinct and fire and rescue department. It would be nice if more cities would renovate old malls and shopping centers for things like this.

7points

Dennis Stanley 3 years ago

The new library space actually works quite well.

6points

justagirl 3 years ago

I think that it is super cool!

1point

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El Dee 3 years ago

Nothing says 'alliterative dystopian culture' like "Chemical Contamination Concerns" If this was a work of fiction it would be to far fetched..

4points

Dave P 3 years ago

Good. It allows an non-functioning building that has value as a structure get re-used and repurposed. This is a very good idea for many similar type of building repurposing.

4points

Iggy 3 years ago

Such a clever idea!

3points

angelica H 3 years ago

that's actually kinda cool

2points

ChickyChicky 3 years ago

Great for a temporary solution, but remember there aren't any windows. I think spending all day in a windowless space isn't the best thing for kids.

2points

justagirl 3 years ago

I think maybe even installing the windows wouldn’t be as expensive as repairing the old school.

5points

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lenniee 3 years ago

This is a brilliant idea! Rather than demolish unused buildings, converting them into another building with a different purpose is actually pretty great

2points

Hans 3 years ago

Well, many people say it is bad if shops leave the city. I do not think so, if it means, people reconquer THEIR city. If city centers become areas where normal people can afford to live, thrive, and learn, I deem this a very good development.

2points

Zoe's Mom 3 years ago

Devils advocate here: If larger companies leave cities, then I would think the unemployment would increase as well so it's a double edge sword.

3points

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Doubleheader 3 years ago

Rather than decaying abandoned malls, I much prefer to see them being re-used for facilities such as this.

1point

Crazydoglady 3 years ago

I bet there's so much parking! Every single school I've ever worked at has struggled to provide parking for its staff.

1point

Computernaut 3 years ago

I think it would be hilarious to go to school in a mall! I've always found using buildings for something other than their intended purpose to be quite interesting.

1point

Sarah Grape 3 years ago

we have an old empty smith's building in our town and we desperately need a new high school why is this so rare why

0points

Jaybird3939 3 years ago

I taught at a newly opened Vocational School in a Mall. It was an old beauty salon, but cleaned out pretty well. The biggest problem was the jumbo XXL A/C blowing like a tornado in one of the rooms. Oh, and people walking by and wondering what we were doing...the Mall wasn't closed, just that business.

0points

Lira Mai 3 years ago

I bet school students now want to go back to school.

0points

Steve in Denver 3 years ago

This is exciting and smart!

0points

Katinka Min 3 years ago

The lack of daylight would really bother me but other than that it's pretty funky.

0points

Smitten Kitten 3 years ago

So they had a budget of $10 Million, but couldn't stretch to remove the brand names from the walls?

0points

Stannous Flouride 3 years ago

I was never fitting in when I was in high school and this place has a room dedicated to it. Sounds good to me.

0points

K Tigress 3 years ago

I always felt that this is how "on site" schooling should be. Not some ugly building that literally screams "institution" with all its bare floors, cylinder block walls and harsh lighting. A school environment should be comfortable and not give you the sensation of fear.

0points

Gandalf the Pink 3 years ago

Oh wow I wish I could have gone there! I love when old places fill new functions but you can still see what it used to be.

0points

JennyBee 3 years ago

I wanna go to school in a Macy's

0points

Uisgea Beatha 3 years ago

I also think it's a good idea, but give it a few years of wear and tear and I imagine it'll look more like a high school and less like a Macy's.

0points

Kristine Phillips 3 years ago

Awesome

0points

Gemar DuniaHiburan 3 years ago

People say that my elementary school building is a former Dutch hospital and my 3rd grade classroom was a mortuary. So many urban legend there..

0points

Selina Ali 3 years ago

This is the way to use up derelict old stores onto something the community needs. Way to go ppl!

0points

BonnieBlueButler 3 years ago

Fabulous! Now, let's work toward recycling abandoned buildings into homeless shelters!

0points

BonnyDK 3 years ago

There is a mall in Austin that is now part of Austin Community College.

0points

Art Tomboy 3 years ago

That is so cool my secondary school is boring 💤

0points

Mewton’s Third Paw 3 years ago

I think this is depressing AF. What has happened to malls is a tragedy. The fact that society got pushed to hideously ugly and uninspired shopping centers with disgusting fields of parking lots in front and ubiquitous and completely homogeneous storefronts nationwide is really just unacceptable. To take malls away, the works of art they are, and just haphazardly shuffle students into the shells is just so backwards. I get it in this case, and I bet it is super fun to go to school there, but I think that just ignores the loss of malls. It just seems so cattle-minded to choose shopping parks over malls. I hope malls really make a comeback post pandemic.

-3points

Sista of the moon 3 years ago

Lol... have we spotted a mall addict here?? “It just ignores the loss of malls” “the works of art they are” “really just unacceptable”. WTF???????????????????????????????????????????????

1point

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POST

birdie asf 3 years ago

56points

K. 3 years ago

I’m glad you think that way. We have to be flexible where we can and adapt to meet the challenges we face.

12points

Load More Replies...

Little Dino 3 years ago

I think that this is great. the mall is large enough and gives them space to social distance while remaining to be safer than their original school. cool!

24points

Joonscrab 3 years ago

Right! I see no downsides! Plus, it's easier for kids to carry their heavy bags on an escalator than climbing up :D

25points

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"Simo Häyhä" 3 years ago

11points

Alexis draskinis 3 years ago

2points

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Christie Schmitz 3 years ago

7points

Dennis Stanley 3 years ago

The new library space actually works quite well.

6points

justagirl 3 years ago

I think that it is super cool!

1point

Load More Replies...

El Dee 3 years ago

Nothing says 'alliterative dystopian culture' like "Chemical Contamination Concerns" If this was a work of fiction it would be to far fetched..

4points

Dave P 3 years ago

Good. It allows an non-functioning building that has value as a structure get re-used and repurposed. This is a very good idea for many similar type of building repurposing.

4points

Iggy 3 years ago

Such a clever idea!

3points

angelica H 3 years ago

that's actually kinda cool

2points

ChickyChicky 3 years ago

Great for a temporary solution, but remember there aren't any windows. I think spending all day in a windowless space isn't the best thing for kids.

2points

justagirl 3 years ago

I think maybe even installing the windows wouldn’t be as expensive as repairing the old school.

5points

Load More Replies...

lenniee 3 years ago

This is a brilliant idea! Rather than demolish unused buildings, converting them into another building with a different purpose is actually pretty great

2points

Hans 3 years ago

2points

Zoe's Mom 3 years ago

Devils advocate here: If larger companies leave cities, then I would think the unemployment would increase as well so it's a double edge sword.

3points

Load More Replies...

Doubleheader 3 years ago

Rather than decaying abandoned malls, I much prefer to see them being re-used for facilities such as this.

1point

Crazydoglady 3 years ago

I bet there's so much parking! Every single school I've ever worked at has struggled to provide parking for its staff.

1point

Computernaut 3 years ago

I think it would be hilarious to go to school in a mall! I've always found using buildings for something other than their intended purpose to be quite interesting.

1point

Sarah Grape 3 years ago

we have an old empty smith's building in our town and we desperately need a new high school why is this so rare why

0points

Jaybird3939 3 years ago

0points

Lira Mai 3 years ago

I bet school students now want to go back to school.

0points

Steve in Denver 3 years ago

This is exciting and smart!

0points

Katinka Min 3 years ago

The lack of daylight would really bother me but other than that it's pretty funky.

0points

Smitten Kitten 3 years ago

So they had a budget of $10 Million, but couldn't stretch to remove the brand names from the walls?

0points

Stannous Flouride 3 years ago

I was never fitting in when I was in high school and this place has a room dedicated to it. Sounds good to me.

0points

K Tigress 3 years ago

0points

Gandalf the Pink 3 years ago

Oh wow I wish I could have gone there! I love when old places fill new functions but you can still see what it used to be.

0points

JennyBee 3 years ago

I wanna go to school in a Macy's

0points

Uisgea Beatha 3 years ago

I also think it's a good idea, but give it a few years of wear and tear and I imagine it'll look more like a high school and less like a Macy's.

0points

Kristine Phillips 3 years ago

Awesome

0points

Gemar DuniaHiburan 3 years ago

People say that my elementary school building is a former Dutch hospital and my 3rd grade classroom was a mortuary. So many urban legend there..

0points

Selina Ali 3 years ago

This is the way to use up derelict old stores onto something the community needs. Way to go ppl!

0points

BonnieBlueButler 3 years ago

Fabulous! Now, let's work toward recycling abandoned buildings into homeless shelters!

0points

BonnyDK 3 years ago

There is a mall in Austin that is now part of Austin Community College.

0points

Art Tomboy 3 years ago

That is so cool my secondary school is boring 💤

0points

Mewton’s Third Paw 3 years ago

-3points

Sista of the moon 3 years ago

Lol... have we spotted a mall addict here?? “It just ignores the loss of malls” “the works of art they are” “really just unacceptable”. WTF???????????????????????????????????????????????

1point

Load More Replies...

This School In Vermont Has Been Installed In A Former Macy’s And The Vibe Is Unlike Anything Else, Not Only Because Of The Escalators (20 Pics)

Burlington High School was closed due to chemical contamination concerns

But it reopened in an old Macy’s building

Both teachers and students are pretty excited about the changes

Inside, some classroom walls still remind students of the products that were sold here

The escalator leads to a former jewelry section

Here’s a video tour of the premises

The school district highlighted that getting a safe space for in-person classes has been a priority

Gov. Phil Scott, R-Vermont, also shared some good news

The governor announced all Vermont teachers, school staff, and employees of child care centers will be eligible for COVID-19 vaccines starting next week

The conversion took about 10 weeks

And had a budget of $10 million

Here’s what people said about the conversion

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