Set on the northeast corner of the intersection of three major avenues , the semi-circular school was designed to maximize classroom area , and its original capacity of 500 students was later expanded to 800 . The building 's condition declined over the decades , however , and a 1977 earthquake in San Juan , Argentina , though over 300 mi ( 480 km ) to the west , caused it serious structural damage and led to its closure . It remained abandoned until a 1991 initiative by Governor Eduardo Angeloz resulted in the building 's restoration . The agreement signed in 1992 between the Province of Córdoba , the building 's proprietors and a consortium of two local developers allowed the firms a 35-year lease at a token monthly rent in exchange for their development of the former school into an upscale shopping gallery and other investments . The resulting Patio Olmos Shopping Center was inaugurated in May 1995
1977 earthquake
1977 San Juan earthquake
Patio Olmos