Charles Shaw is a visionary and crafty entrepreneur who has seized an opportunity to turn lead into gold. Fifteen years ago, he bought, along with his wife Lisa, an abandoned high school in old town Durango. The building was in poor shape, but its walls were solid brick. Charles immediately saw the potential of making a long-time dream come true- turning a large building into a super-efficient, mixed-use community space that could become a vibrant center of learning and creativity. Today the “Smiley Building” has become a landmark in Durango, and it might well be the most efficient, energy independent building of its kind in the entire country.