BOISE, Idaho — The Opaline Schoolhouse, a historic building located across from Albertsons Stadium on Boise State University property, has reopened its doors after years of sitting empty. The schoolhouse, which hasn't been used for teaching since the early 1900s, has been part of the Boise State campus since the 1980s.

Nathan Snyder, the Director of University Television at BSU, said, "When we have an opportunity to save something, I think it makes us all a little richer. I think it makes our city a little richer. It makes our state a little richer,". Those involved with the project said the revival of the Schoolhouse was challenging. Barbara Beagles, Boise State's Executive Director of Facilities, Operations, and Maintenance, explained the state of the building at the beginning: "We had paint falling off the sides of the buildings. We had broken windows. We had rodents and raccoons living in here."

Hours of hard work went into the project, where disaster cleanup crews, architects, staff members, and students slowly began giving Opaline Schoolhouse new life. Snyder said, "This was a stabilization, slash restoration, slash new life," To stay in budget and make the schoolhouse an event-ready space, the restoration included a mix of new and old elements. The slate chalkboards and hardwood floors are original, while the desks were constructed from repurposed from salvaged printers. An air conditioning unit was installed, and the ceiling was heightened.

The restoration process was documented by the school's media students, providing them with hands-on experience. Snyder said, "We talked about how it's constructed, how it's put together. The cool thing was, we got to do something really fun and interesting." Now, Boise State University says the Opaline Schoolhouse is ready to be used as an event space, open to hosting weddings, retirement parties, and other events.