The revival of the Historic Lowell School building
Story By: Harumy Torres, Foodie Editor
Photos By: Juliana Bomark
You might drive by it on your way to work, downtown, or even on your way home. The old Lowell School building looks like a preserved piece of Grand Junction’s history. For years, it served educational purposes, and most locals remember it as such. The architecture is the kind you only find in century-old schools. But when you step inside or even just into the parking lot you’ll find something unique: a micro-community defined by its service to the public.
Built in 1926 and once home to R-5 High School, the Lowell building has become more than just a collection of small businesses. It’s a living space with its own energy. Tenants in the building aren’t just neighbors in adjacent classrooms they’re part of a community built on mutual support. Every “classmate” in the building ensures that others are taken care of, contributing to a team effort that brings amazing things together under one historic roof.
Jeremy Nelson is part of the group of local owners stewarding the building’s transformation. Their approach to curating tenants and events is highly intentional.
“The original three R’s were reading, writing, and arithmetic,” Nelson said. “But for us, it’s about bringing this place back to life with care and intention.”
“We don’t have a rulebook, but we do have a philosophy: low drama, high community,” Nelson said. “We want people here who treat each other with respect and want to add to what’s already happening.”
That energy radiates throughout the building. Tenants collaborate, support each other’s events, and contribute to a welcoming, dynamic atmosphere. Each business is a puzzle piece in the broader culture being created whether they’re serving craft beer, growing plants, or spinning vinyl records on a Tuesday night.
What makes the building especially unique is how shared events benefit everyone. Trivia nights, First Fridays, and pop-ups don’t just bring people in they expose visitors to every corner of the space. Someone might come for a ribeye taco from Armando Tacos or a sandwich from The Little Pink Truck, then stay for a pint of local craft beer from Gemini Beer Company or pick up a houseplant from Speak In Green, the on-site plant shop.
“If one of us is doing something cool, it draws people in for the rest of us too,” Nelson said. “That’s the power of this place it’s collaborative by nature.”
The building currently houses 12 local businesses, artists, and non-profit/civic groups inside the building and 4 food trucks outside the building.
“There’s no way this works if everyone’s just out for themselves,” Nelson added. “It’s more like being roommates than just tenants. If one of us isn’t doing well, it affects the whole building.”
The Lowell School operates as a POPOS a Privately Owned Public Open Space meaning anyone can stop by, sit on the lawn, read a book, or attend an event without spending a cent.
“We’re a privately owned public open space,” Nelson said. “You can come here, sit on the grass, read a book. We want this to feel like your building.”
The building’s current chapter was made possible through a public-private partnership with the Downtown Development Authority, which purchased the property from the school district. The DDA played a critical role in reimagining the space not just as real estate, but as a vibrant community asset. The partnership also includes collaboration with the City of Grand Junction and the Lowell Village Metro District, helping ensure that the site stays publicly accessible while privately maintained and activated.
That sense of openness and comfort is exactly what keeps frequent visitors like Bastian coming back. Since moving to Grand Junction in 2018, Bastian has seen the local food and drink scene grow but for him, Lowell stands out because of its feel.
“I probably stop by two or three times a week,” Bastian said. “This is the closest thing we have to a neighborhood bar or brewery. You’ll see families on the lawn, vinyl addicts in the taproom, and just a lot of fun people.”
As Lowell approaches its 100th birthday in 2026, its future feels brighter than ever. From vinyl nights and community trivia to taco deals and beer collaborations, it’s become a space where Grand Junction’s past and future overlap comfortably and creatively.
“There’s been a lot of lives in this building’s history,” Bastian said. “I think this is a pretty fitting path for it to take now. It’s alive again and that feels good.”
The revitalization of the Lowell School draws inspiration from other successful school-to-community space conversions most notably the Smiley Building in Durango, Ivywild School in Colorado Springs, and Kennedy School in Portland. These spaces have preserved their historic architecture while transforming into vibrant hubs for food, art, events, and local business.
The building is now space that honors its past while building a new kind of future for Grand Junction.
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