El Paso Independent School district officials said they're using the Houston location for a drop-out recovery program for high school students. But that's got neighbors asking why the district closed the school in the first place.

El Paso Independent School District officials said one of the reasons Houston Elementary closed was because of low enrollment, and the district is actually saving $1.5 million by closing it.

"It’s a cost saving for the district because the principal is no longer there, the staff is at another campus and that was a full-fledged elementary," said EPISD spokesperson Berenice Zubia.

Julie Rutledge with the Manhatten Heights Neighborhood Association said she had a meeting with EPISD Superintendent Lorenzo Garcia on Oct. 11. At that meeting, he explained the new plans for the old elementary and heard that the low-populated school wasn't worth the cost to run utilities to the campus.

"About the cost of maintenance to the building because it's old and the maintenance and what not. That is curious to us in that there's still going to be those costs," said Rutledge.

Rutledge said the reasons for closing Houston don't coincide with the reasons for an alternative school. EPISD decided to move Sunset School of Choice, a drop-out recovery program to Houston elementary. The district received $9.7 million in a federal grant to assist with the start cost for the program over the next three years.

"The neighborhood has concerns about the parking issues and that older high school students are typically driving," said Rutledge.

Zubia said that the entire school will not be used for the program, only one wing for 90 students from Sunset that will transfer there next year.

"Not all students go at the same time. That's the advantage of the school. They go at different times, different hours and different schedules," said Zubia.

Rutlegde said the most disconcerting issue yet is learning about Superintendent Lorenzo Garcia sending a letter to the Historic Preservation Committee opposing a historic designation for the building, after she said Garcia told her he was in favor of it.

"It was very confusing to me. I thought why did he go overtly to the effort to tell us he had no problem with it if he had in fact two weeks earlier written a letter saying he was opposed," said Rutledge.

KFOX tried getting a hold of Garcia for a comment, but we were told he will be tied up all week.