ROGERS -- Haas Hall Academy plans to expand into the historic Lane Hotel in Rogers' downtown, submitting plans to teach more than 350 seventh- through 10th-graders beginning next school year.
Martin Schoppmeyer, founder and superintendent of Haas Hall Academy, announced Wednesday that he had filed plans with the Arkansas Department of Education to request a campus in Rogers. The state Charter Authorizing Panel will consider the proposal in a hearing set for Oct. 19, Schoppmeyer said.
The application asks for a cap of 500 students in seventh through 12th grades. The 11th and 12th grades would be added in subsequent school years, Schoppmeyer said.
If approved by state officials, Haas Hall Academy would expand from two campuses to four in August 2017. Haas Hall Academy has two charters, one for its Fayetteville campus and a second for its Bentonville campus. The state Board of Education this summer approved a request for Haas Hall Academy Fayetteville to open a Springdale site inside The Jones Center in August 2017. The proposed Rogers campus would be the fourth site and an expansion of the Fayetteville campus.
"An opportunity came," Schoppmeyer said. "It is in a centrally located area where there are lots of neighborhoods."
The location offers the opportunity for students to walk or ride bicycles to school, Schoppmeyer said. The site is also near an Ozark Regional Transit stop.
The addition of Haas Hall Academy at the 121 W. Poplar St. site would give families access to four public high schools within reach of downtown, Rogers Mayor Greg Hines said. Arkansas Arts Academy High School is one-third of a mile away from the old hotel. Rogers Heritage High School is one-eighth of a mile away. Rogers New Technology High School is about 2 miles to the south.
"One of the key components that I'm very passionate about with respect to the downtown master plan is promoting more people to live downtown and to develop and redevelop some of the areas in and around downtown," Hines said. "I think it will drive people's decision to want to live in Rogers and in downtown Rogers."
Conversations began several years ago about revitalizing downtown, Hines said. Those conversations led to a downtown master plan and establishing zoning regulations specifically for the region that stretches from West Hudson Road to West Olrich Street and from 13th Street to areas around Lake Atalanta.
Hines said he thinks Haas Hall is a good fit for the former hotel, the tallest building in downtown Rogers.
The 42,000-square-foot hotel, with a Spanish Colonial design, was built in 1928 and has stood vacant since 2003. Aviator Amelia Earhart, boxer Jack Dempsey and actor Errol Flynn were among the guests to stay in the hotel, according to city historical records. The building became a retirement home in 1967 and then an assisted living center in 1999 before closing in 2003. The hotel is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
"I think it creates an environment where we can serve the talents and interests of anyone in Northwest Arkansas that's a high school age student," Hines said.
Schoppmeyer said he has discussed his plans with Rogers School District Superintendent Marlin Berry, wants to work in partnership with the school district and thinks the organizations can learn from each other. Rogers school officials did not respond to requests for comment Wednesday.
"I think it's great for everybody," Schoppmeyer said. "It expands people's choices in a free public education."
The opening would make neighbors of two of the longest-running charter schools in Northwest Arkansas. Arkansas Arts Academy High School Principal Barb Padgett has known Schoppmeyer for 10 years and said the two have a "great working relationship." While both schools focus on preparing students for college, Arkansas Arts Academy focuses more on fine arts.
"We are delighted to hear the news they will be coming this direction," Padgett said.
Haas Hall will offer its college preparatory program focusing on science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics at the Rogers location, Schoppmeyer said. He said he thinks of the schools as giving students options instead of the schools as being in a competition.
"It's not about the school," Schoppmeyer said. "It's about the opportunities for the students."
The announcement solves a mystery about a proposal for a school in downtown Rogers that emerged when plans titled "Renovations to the Lane Hotel for an Educational Option" were submitted to the Rogers Historic District Commission in June. At the time, John T. Mack of J.K.J. Architects of Rogers would not discuss details of the school.
The Lane Hotel was purchased in 2015 by KLS Leasing of Delaware, a company affiliated with the Walton Family Foundation that was set up by the family of Helen Walton and Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton.
The company is leasing the Lane Hotel to Haas Hall, said Luis Gonzalez, a spokesman for the Walton Family Foundation.
Metro on 09/22/2016