An old school building on Athens’ east side will see new life in the coming months.

Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary School will call the Old Gaines Elementary School building, at 280 Gaines School Road, home starting in January. The move will be preceded by some necessary renovations to the aging structure.

$292,265 will be allocated for needed heating and air conditioning upgrades, while $24,744 will be spent on asbestos removal, and the removal of all carpet in the building. The $317,009 in renovations is funded by the 2011 Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST).

Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary is expected to stay in the building through the 2017 school year. During the summer afterwards, the school will move into their new building, which will be constructed on their current site in the 18 months they  will be housed at Gaines School.

Even though the old building will be vacant at that point, Clarke County School Superintendent Philip Lanoue says the building could be used as an early learning center in the future, and will continue to be a viable building for the school district.