A charter school is preparing to make the former McNally Smith College of Music building its permanent home.

Upper Mississippi Academy has spent two years at Fort Snelling and four at the old St. Francis/St. James School in the West Seventh neighborhood. School leaders hope their next move will be their last.

Executive director Harry Adler said the school emphasizes active learning and engaging with the community. Those opportunities should only grow in downtown St. Paul.

“It works with who we are,” he said.

Adler wouldn’t say whether they’re buying or leasing the building where a for-profit college suddenly closed in December 2017. But he said Upper Mississippi Academy is growing and plans to occupy the entire college space someday.

The school now has about 290 students in grades 6-11. They plan to grow to 425 in grades 6-12.

Renovations are planned in multiple phases, but the school will open in its new location this fall.

Adler said he anticipates the school collaborating with the History Theatre, the only longtime tenant in the building, which formerly housed part of the Science of Museum of Minnesota.