PALISADE, Colo. (KREX) – Palisade’s original high school is getting a facelift for a fresh start. What once was home to the Palisade Bulldogs is about to become a medical clinic, serving residents on this side of the Grand Valley.

Turning the original Palisade High School into a clinic means one big demolition this winter but the work starts this week with asbestos removal. Most former students look back fondly on campus memories, while others look forward to what’s coming.

“I’ve always seen this run-down high school and I’m glad to see it get turned into a medical building that’s very exciting,” Palisade High School Alumna Tomasita Ferber Browne shares, “Even though I didn’t go here myself, I went to the new high school I’ve always passed by and have hope that something good will come of the school.”

Palisade has not had its own medical center in 20 years. Some former students are sad that the school is coming down, but others agree with the Town of Palisade that it’s time for a change.

“Town of Palisade officials stress tearing the building down makes room to build new purpose for billing medical needs purpose fulfilling medical needs,” Cora Dickey reports.

Asbstetos is mainly in drywall and pipes within this old building. The three-part project focuses on demolishing only the buildings needed for the new medical clinic.

Palisade’s mayor says it will benefit locals and could not be in a better place.

“The location is ideal in terms of accessibility,” Palisade Mayor Greg Mikolai elaborates, “It’s also ideal in terms of the proximity of the fire station with our EMT medical services, so those services will have a direct correlation in terms of being able to work with the clinic hand-in-hand.”

The entire project of the original Palisade High becoming a medical clinic is going to cost roughly $4.6 million. The Town of Palisade officials hope to raise at least 1 million dollars needed through charitable donations.

Community Hospital will operate Palisade’s new medical clinic. The building should be finished by the end of summer 2022.

Town of Palisade officials assure us one thing won’t change. The original Palisade High gym out back is here to stay.