Own a former schoolhouse! Lots of potential! $125,000! C. 1904 on an acre in Greensboro.
This historic building in Greensboro was built back in 1904. It served the community as an elementary school for many years until it closed in 1961. Today, it stands as a unique piece of architecture waiting for its next chapter.
404 2nd St, Greensboro, PA 15338 $125,000
features
- Built in 1904
- Former Greensboro Public School
- National Register of Historic Places
A Strong Stone Exterior
The building is made in the Richardsonian-Romanesque style. The walls are built from hand-cut sandstone that was sawn straight on four sides. The face of the stone was left rough to give it a bold look.
The masons who built this were Italian immigrants who worked in the local region. Because of how the stones were cut and set with thin joints, the walls are incredibly strong. The windowsills are sloped to help water run off and keep the building dry.
features
- Cussewego sandstone walls
- Hand-cut ashlar masonry
- Richardson-Romanesque style
- Sloped stone windowsills
- Date stone from 1904
Grand Interior Spaces
Inside, you will find four massive classrooms. Each room measures roughly 37 feet by 25 feet. The ceilings are very high, reaching 12.5 feet throughout the main areas.
One of these classrooms still has its original pressed metal ceiling. You will also see the old slate chalkboards still hanging on the walls. A big hallway connects the rooms and leads to a grand stairway for the second floor.
features
- 5,000 square feet of space
- 12.5-foot ceilings
- Original pressed metal ceiling
- Slate chalkboards
- Yellow pine or red oak trim and floors
- Grand stairway
Recent Updates and Infrastructure
The current owner has already handled some of the biggest maintenance tasks. A new roof was installed in 2022 along with new gutters. They also regraded the yard so that rainwater drains away from the stone foundation.
There is a new water line running from the street into the building. New pipes have been run to the two bathrooms as well. The basement has concrete floors with drains and plenty of room for storage or equipment.
features
- New roof (2022)
- New gutters
- Regraded yard for drainage
- New main water line
- Updated plumbing to bathrooms
- Unfinished basement with floor drains
Potential for Restoration
This building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, but it sits just outside the local historic district. This means you have more freedom to change the inside as you wish. It would make a great large family home or could be turned into four big apartments.
The bell in the bell tower still works, which is a fun detail for anyone who loves history. While the inside needs a full restoration, the structure is solid. You could even try to bring it back to life as a school or community center.
features
- Working bell in the tower
- Outside the restricted historic district
- Potential for 4 apartments
- Original steam radiators
Living in Greensboro
Greensboro is a quiet and peaceful town in southwest Pennsylvania. It is located right on the Monongahela River. There is a boat ramp nearby and a local restaurant that serves home-style food.
The neighborhood is very safe and friendly. You are also close to Mon View Park, which has a swimming pool, ball fields, and a roller skating rink. For more shopping and dining, Morgantown, West Virginia, is only about 16 miles away.
features
- Located near Monongahela River
- Quiet and safe neighborhood
- Close to Mon View Park
- 16 miles to Morgantown, WV
- Access to hiking and biking trails
From Zillow
Built in 1904 and functioning as an elementary school unti1 1961. The Greensboro Public School Building has significance in both architecture and education. The building is a striking, though a modest presentation of a national design trend of the era the Richardsonian-Romanesque style. This building has been identified in a regional context as a good example of the work of the Italian immigrants who worked as masons and builders in the region.
The Greensboro Public School is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. It lies one block outside the Greensboro Historic District. Which means there are no restrictions on what you can do with it. The buildings premier feature is its exterior walls.
It was built from fine hand cut random ashlar Cussewego sandstone. Each stone is sawn straight on four sides and the face is left rough. With thin mortar joints no more than two stones share the same mortar joint, walls are very strong.
The windowsills project and are slightly sloped to shed water. Other stone details are voussoirs forming the arches at the front and back entries and a date stone that reads “Greensboro Public School 1904.” The school has four large classrooms 37’ x 25-29,’ with 12’.5” tall ceilings. One of the classrooms still has the original pressed metal on the ceiling.
Each classroom has slate chalk boards on the walls. There is a big hallway with a grand stairway to the second floor. I’ve been told the trim and floors are either yellow pine or red oak. There is a half bathroom on the first floor, and a full bathroom that must have been added in later years in the basement. I had a new water line installed outside running into the building and new pipes running to the two bathrooms.
The unfinished basement has concrete floors with drains installed. Each classroom has steam radiators that were used for heat but the coal burning boiler in the basement looks like it hasn’t been used since the 60s. There was a roof leak upstairs in the principal’s office room so I had the roof replaced in 2022 with new gutters installed.
By the way, the bell in the bell tower still works! I regraded the yard so the water will drain away from the building. Now, all the inside needs restoration. I was thinking this building would make 4 great apartments or a big house with room for the whole family to come and stay. Or return it back to an operating school. Greensboro is located in southwest Pennsylvania in Green County. This neighborhood is quiet and peaceful.
It’s the rare kind of neighborhood where you don’t have to lock your doors. Nestled right on the Monongahela River, we have a boat ramp next to our one and only restaurant. The food is home-style cooking and delicious. Every time I go in there I end up staying for a while just talking to the friendly neighbors.
Mon View Park is located as soon as you come into town where we have Green County’s only roller skating rink, open every weekend all year long. The park has the neighborhood pool, ball fields, basketball court, playground, and 8 different picnic pavilions. Hiking and biking trail that starts at the park and goes through the town along the river.
The famous “Warrior Trail” a 67 mile hiking trail starts in Greensboro and ends up in Moundsville West Virginia. Greensboro is only 16 miles to Morgantown West Virginia home of the Mountaineers of West Virginia University. 21 miles to Uniontown, PA and 62 miles to Pittsburgh, PA.