The administration of Mayor Ricardo Nunez (MDB) has started an internal process to request the transfer of the historic building of the São Paulo State School (founded in 1894), the oldest in the state, located in Bras, in the center of São Paulo, to be converted into a base for the Metropolitan Civil Guard (GCM).
document sheet acquired the GCM headquarters’ interest in the land belonging to the local government and where the 100-year-old school is located, and officially recognized it.
The site is owned by the state Department of Education and is home to about 120 students.
However, some of the buildings have become dilapidated and have been closed by the Civil Defense Authority. The school’s closure was announced late last year by the administration of Republican Gov. Tarcisio de Freitas.
Restoration work was carried out in 2019, and the state government made improvements such as replacing the porcelain floors in the rehearsal room and mezzanine floor.
The announcement of the suspension sparked protests among students and teachers. At that time, the state administration reported that transfers to other educational units in the region were carried out without any shortage of vacancies.
Faced with this reaction, the Tarsisio government reversed its decision and postponed school closures until 2026. “The school will not close next year. The City Council asked for the construction of a building, but we managed to talk and play and changed the decision. Escola São Paulo will open in 2025,” Education Secretary Renato Feder said in December 2024.
When contacted, the state Department of Education reported that they had not received any notice from City Hall to vacate the school and that classes will remain there next school year.
“No decision will be taken as to where the mentioned buildings will be relocated until they are returned to the city,” City Hall informed.
Founded in 1894, the school is one of the oldest in the state. This unit is adjacent to Don Pedro 2nd Parque. This area is the target of a revitalization project through a public-private partnership (PPP) in the bidding phase by the city authorities with a budget of R$ 2.19 billion.
The starting point for this revitalization work is the modernization of the Don Pedro 2° terminal, which will be expanded and connected to the Pedro 2° metro station, the Expresso Tiradentes and, in the future, the Radial Reste BRT, which is already in the construction phase.
A connection with the São Paulo trams is also planned, and the project will be submitted to public consultation to provide light rail vehicles (VLT) to the center of the capital.
Nunes has prioritized security in his administration since the beginning of his second term, and is expected to increase investment in the city’s video surveillance program. In 2026, R$240.6 million is expected to be allocated for the maintenance and operation of camera systems. This year, Nunes’ management secured a much smaller amount of R$45.2 million.
history
Founded in 1894 under the name Gymnasio do Estado de São Paulo, the school has served the children of São Paulo’s elite for decades. Names like Casper Rivero, Paulo Setubal, Origen Ressa and Francisco Cuoco have passed through here.
The unit’s bold architectural design has already made it the subject of research for architecture students at universities across the country. The school is surrounded by large trees and is integrated with the surrounding viaduct. The classroom buildings and sports gymnasium are inspired by the pavilions and ocas of Ibirapuera Park.
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