A green area w/ proper playground & space for parents would foster a sense of community (a native plant rain garden could help w/ the recurring flooding problem too). This or residential homes but definitely demolition of the building. Older more historical ones are destroyed & keeping it will cost more than it’s worth.
The closing of the school was one of the best news for this neighborhood as each school day meant dozens and dozens of parents in their cars blocking Gladstone Dr twice a day with incredible noise and fume pollution. More than once the police had to be involved because actual residents couldn’t get out of their driveways.
Because we’re between Lake and MLK we have more traffic than most other neighboring streets already and a green area would offer a safe space for kids to play or for neighborhood parties instead of the streets and front yards.