With all the hustle and bustle of back-to-school season, have you ever wondered what happened to your old school?
If you are a native Brooklynite, there is a chance it’s now a luxury residential building.
In fact, all across the country, developers are renovating old schoolhouses into luxury homes. “People love these conversions, as old school houses often have tall ceilings and big windows,” said Leonard Steinberg, president of the brokerage firm Compass. “These are two highly appealing components that are perfect for loft conversions.”
But Brooklyn seems to have a disproportionate share in this market. Quite a few schools built in historic neighborhoods during the 19th Century have been later converted into residential buildings.
“Many of the school conversions occurred in properties that were once schools run by churches,” said Janet Zimmerman, director of sales at Brownstone Real Estate in Brooklyn. Brooklyn was once known as the Borough of Churches, after all.
“Some of the older public schools, as well, were too small and outdated for modern education,” Ms. Zimmerman added. Those were converted too.
Mr. Steinberg’s business partner and VP of Strategic Development at Compass, Hervé Senequier, for one, used to live at 174 Pacific St. in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn, which is an old schoolhouse. Nowadays, two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartments there sell for about $1.5 million.
A townhouse in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Fort Greene that has just hit the market for $13 million actually combines a 19th Century school with its adjoining townhouse, according to its exclusive listing agent, Patty LaRocco from Douglas Elliman.
Here, a quick roundup of some notable schoolhouse conversions in Brooklyn:
1. 81 Hanson Place, Fort Greene
The three-story red brick and terracotta schoolhouse was beautifully restored and the adjoining four-story townhouse rebuilt with a new façade. The new 10,550-square-foot residence features a double-height living room with wooden beams and a wood-burning fireplace. Outdoors, it has three terraces in addition to a surrounding side garden. Its current owner is artist David Salle.
2. 174 Pacific Street, Cobble Hill
Located on a quiet tree-lined street, this Victorian schoolhouse conversion features lofts with soaring ceilings, hardwood floors, exposed beams and large windows. Originally built in 1901, this low rise co-op building has four stories and 28 apartments. Some units have private outdoor space, others boast wood burning fireplaces, or bedrooms in the old bell tower.
According to StreetEasy.com, the last five sales of two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartments in the building ranged from $1.2 million to $1.8 million.
3. 205 Warren Street, Cobble Hill
This building was constructed in 1882 as the site of St. Paul’s Parish School. It was converted to a co-op in 1984. Located on one of the most gorgeous blocks in Cobble Hill , the three-story building has a total of 26 units.
The former classrooms are now offered as million-dollar apartments. According to StreetEasy.com, the average price of sales in this building is $1.18 million.
4. 279 Sterling Place, Prospect Heights
Built in 1895, this Romanesque Revival-style building in Prospect Heights was designed by James W. Naughton and is a designated New York City landmark. It is made of brick, sandstone and terracotta. The four-floor 22-unit co-op was created in 1989, and each unit features impressive ceiling heights and tall windows.
According to StreetEasy.com, the eight most recent sales in this building carried an average price tag of $834,625.
5. 501 Hicks St., Cobble Hill
This 34-unit condominium was converted in the mid-1980s from the Sacred Heart Catholic School, which was built in 1922. The marble name plaque with the school benefactors’ names on it can still be found in the lobby. The building spans five stories.
Some apartments have even kept the school bells and original chalkboards. The average price of 28 recent sales was $888,535, according to StreetEasy.com.
Write to Fang Block at fang.block@dowjones.com