Historic Oakland: Abestos closed Schenley High, historic status keeps it standing

Like a big, white elephant, the old Schenley High School continues to inhabit North Oakland,… Like a big, white elephant, the old Schenley High School continues to inhabit North Oakland, despite its desertion.

The old school sits abandoned on Bigelow Boulevard, up the hill from the Cathedral of Learning. For years, the building has been celebrated for its design, but it remains unused since 2008 because of asbestos problems.

Because the building is designated a landmark, it cannot be torn down — and the Pittsburgh Public School District cannot afford to fix it. The building, which sits on a hill, acts as a prominent and visible symbol of education in the community.

“It was intended to be a showcase for education. It was a magnet for students around the city,” said Drew Armstrong, the director of the architectural studies program at Pitt.

The latest plan — converting the space for residential use — was rejected by the school district’s board. The future of the building now hangs in limbo.

School History

The building, constructed by Pittsburgh architect Edward Stotz in 1915 and 1916, was considered state-of-the-art in its design.

Because it was built in the early 20th century, the building has multiple layers of significance. The quality, location, recognition and architecture of the building are several aspects that contribute to its importance, said Albert Tannler, the Historical Collections director at the Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation.

Armstrong explained the strategic location of Schenley High School. Located in the Schenley Farms Historic District, it has an elite position in the neighborhood.

When Stotz finished the building in the early twentieth century, the state-of-the-art facilities were lavish. The triangular floor plan features a large auditorium in the center of the school with a pool underneath it and classrooms along the perimeter.

In the front of the building, six columns guard the set of windows that face the street, representing the magnificence of the high school during that time period. More windows line the facility, allowing natural light inside the building.

Tannler stresses the importance of the abandoned building for its national recognition. The facility is listed on the National Register of Historic Places — an official list of the nation’s historic places that are worthy of preservation.

The list has a set of criteria for accepted structures. The stipulations restrict acceptance to national buildings that have relation to a specific person or event, excel in design, are set in a certain historical period or are important archaeological sites.

Because the old Schenley High School building is on the list of the National Register of Historic Places, contractors cannot use city money to alter the building, Tannler explained.

The building is also a part of the Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation’s Historic Landmark Plaque program. Begun in 1968, the program seeks to promote an educational aspect to different historical sites in and around Allegheny County. The foundation places plaques on buildings it believes to be historically significant.

In order to be a part of the plaque program, buildings must be nominated to the PHLF and to the Historic Plaque Designation Committee. The committee reviews each nomination, and, if a building is awarded, it receives a plaque indicating the significance of the building, its architect and other information.

Unlike the National Register of Historic Places, the Historic Landmark Plaque program does not protect a building from any alterations; it merely serves to provide the public with data.

“Our job is, in some ways, is to promote preservation and save buildings in the neighborhood. [Schenley High School] has been recognized nationally as an important school building,” Tannler said.

Falling by the Wayside

The building acted as Schenley High School for decades until June 2008, when faculty and students moved because of asbestos problems in the building.

After a six-month review process, Superintendent Mark Roosevelt announced in a press release that it was not in the best interest of the district to rehabilitate the building: Renovations would cost upward of $75 million.

Today, the building’s exterior continues to be in good condition, but with asbestos inside the walls, students can no longer learn there. In June 2011, the old Schenley High School building was officially closed by the Pittsburgh Public School Board, leaving the massive, classical structure abandoned. The district then declared the property for sale.

The current Schenley High School is located between the communities of Shadyside and East Liberty on Denniston Avenue, in the former Reizenstein Middle School building.

On Oct. 13, 2011, the district requested bids for a number of properties, and Schenley High School was among them, said Ebony Pugh, the senior media relations manager for Pittsburgh Public Schools. The district opened the bids on Oct. 25, but the bid for Schenley was not approved, she said.

The PMC Property Group submitted a proposal on the building for residential use at a bid of $2 million.

Though a high school education at the time of the building’s creation had more prestige than it does today, Armstrong believes the structure would still best serve as a high school in the future.

“That’s what it was designed for,” Armstrong said. “It’s a monumental building, not an apartment building.”