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Nearly two years after trustees for the San Antonio Independent School District voted to close 15 schools, the district has opened a request for proposals to lease some of the closed schools.
After the vote to consolidate schools, SAISD created an advisory panel, held a series of community meetings, and hired an architecture firm to help the district find new uses for the district’s vacant buildings. The list of buildings slated for repurposing include about 20 vacant schools, including some that were closed at earlier dates.
SAISD is currently seeking proposals to lease five of those schools: Brewer, Douglass, Gonzales, Lamar, and Pickett.
“Through this opportunity, SAISD invites community-based partners to propose innovative uses for the vacant properties — so long as those uses align with community needs and further a District purpose,” SAISD officials said in a news release announcing the request for proposals. “The primary goal is to transform these underutilized spaces into productive assets that benefit surrounding neighborhoods and advance the district’s mission.”
The district has committed to keeping ownership of the properties and only leasing them to organizations who plan to use them for purposes that benefit the district’s students and residents.
According to a survey SAISD released in February, fine arts programs, mental health services, childcare for children 3 and under, and green space like parks or playgrounds are the most popular ideas for the empty properties.
SAISD has created a portal where organizations interested in leasing the vacant schools can submit proposals and sign up to tour the properties. The deadline to submit a proposal is October 17, 2025.
