The Santa Fe Planning Commission has approved a developer's proposal to turn the empty Alvord Elementary School property in the Railyard into a luxury, all-suite hotel, featuring replicas of murals on the building that won't be preserved.

Architect Wayne Lloyd told the Planning Commission he could not save the murals and still install code-compliant windows. Instead, he said he aims to rebuild and repaint smaller versions of the artwork in a new, visible location at the future hotel.

"We can't make them as tall, because we can't go above 6 feet," Lloyd said. "So, it'll be about 60% of the actual size. So more than half, but not full-scale."

During public comment, a few people who were involved in the initial design and establishment of the murals applauded the potential replication, but

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