Overview

The Cantril School, located at 312 Cantril St., opened as Castle Rock Elementary School in 1897 and continues to serve Douglas County School District. The property was added to the National Registry of Historic Places in 1984 but does not hold any local historic designations. The building is over 14,000 square feet and sits on 2 acres located just east of Downtown Castle Rock in the historic Craig and Gould area.

The District has recently declared the property as "surplus," allowing the sale of the school on the open market. Given its historic significance, the Town believes it's important to preserve the structure and to ensure the Cantril site remains a public facility.

Town Council on Tuesday, Nov. 15, approved a contract to purchase the building for $3,525,000 and funded an additional $500,000 for initial facility needs. The contract was also approved by the DCSD Board of Education on Nov. 15. The Town expects the purchase to be finalized by early April.

Council's ongoing conservative fiscal management approach allows the Town to respond to unique opportunities, like the potential purchase of this historic property, when they arise.

Property details

• 14,462 square feet
• About 2 acres of property
• Two-story Italian Villa-style design
• Made from pink and tan rhyolite mined in Castle Rock-area quarries
• 54 on-site parking spaces
• The property is on the National Register of Historic places
• For many years, it was the only school in Castle Rock, serving all students from kindergarten through high school

Plans

• The primary goal of the project is to provide options for future public use of the site while keeping the integrity of the building.
• Options for the site could include classes, events and offices. Neighborhood and community input is desired to guide appropriate uses.
• Should the Town acquire the site, any needed renovations would occur over a several-year period.
• Improvements may include accessibility updates and upgrades to the heating and cooling systems.