Plans to convert Miami’s historic Inspiration Addition School into new housing for workers, first presented in 2019, moved ahead again last month, with Town Council approval of a resolution adding the project to the Colonias Rehabilitation Program.

“Our goal is to take the empty Inspiration building and, between rehabbing it and new construction, create 40 housing units for working families,” said Miami Junior/Senior High School Principal Glen Lineberry. Miami Unified School District owns the three-story Inspiration School building, which was built in 1916.

Reid Butler, president/owner of Phoenix-based  Butler Housing Company, Inc., said the school would hold 20 of those new units, with newly-built two- and three-story buildings where the auditorium building now stands providing the other 20. Eight of those 40 units will be set aside for families in which a family member has a disability.

“One of the things this project does is create  this project does is create affordable housing for your workers, people who make $15,000-40,000 a year,” said Butler. “The rents average about $600 a month, roughly; some are as low as $300 a month.

“The historic building will be fully rehabbed to National Park Service standards,” he added. “Character-defining features – the windows and the trim – will be retained, but the inner workings will be fully modernized. Classrooms convert really well to affordable housing, with high ceilings and lots of windows. The windows will probably be new, energy-efficient windows but will have the same look and feel as the ones you see.” The project also includes new parking lots on the site of the school’s basketball court and off of Keegan Street behind the school. Butler said the project would be about a $15 million investment, and was fully financed with funding from outside the Town of Miami.

“I’m glad to see it go up there,” said Councilmember Michael Sosh. “I’ve seen that building vacant for a long time.”