Nearly 300 people flocked to a landmark building Saturday in downtown Hastings, determined to save their old middle school.

A local resident just bought it, but he wants the community's input with what to do with it. 
 

Minutes after Barb Beck and her husband reminisce in their old middle school classroom, Barb's old teacher walk in.  The two join nearly 300 others, signing their names with ideas for the
building. All with the same goal in mind.

"I'd just hate to see them tear it down," one woman said to the volunteer.

Leone Sommerfield, the former Hastings Middle School teacher, said, "There's architectural value, historical value, this is part of our roots and you shouldn't destroy your roots."

For now, their roots are in the hands of this man, who bought the building two weeks ago.

"Every building has a soul, has a spirit," Butch Hughes said.

But Hughes needs to rent or sell rooms in this 100,000 square foot building by next spring, and he's looking for ideas.

Bill Beck said, "It would be great if it could be updated for apartments and office buildings."

Hughes would prefer the Adams County Historical Society take over, but said that could take 3 to 4 years. So he's taking offers for medical care, housing parties, and exercise classes to fill empty rooms. But says the most financially feasible? 

"I would say the top two floors would be condos, residences, and on the first floor would be offices."

That's where things get uncertain. A county board member said the Community Redevelopment Authority isn't getting involved, nor is the Business Improvement District. And Hughes said he would need about 75 people to lease or buy space to run the $600,000 building. But he believes when the ideas come, the money will follow, and is confident he'll find enough supporters.

"All my children went to school here, so I'm quite attached to this building," Sommerfield said.

Reporter's Notes by Stacia Kalinoski:

As you may remember, this school shut down last spring when the new Hastings Middle School was built. As for the building's mechanics, Hughes said a sprinkler system is already in place and the boilers are in good shape.

He hopes his small group of six turns into a group of 20 to make decisions by next spring.