Editor’s Note: The formerly abandoned Larimer School has been transformed into the Cornerstone Village Apartments. Keep reading, though, for the history behind one of the most fascinating abandoned schools in Pennsylvania.

Standing stoically in the Pittsburgh neighborhood of Larimer, the abandoned Larimer School lays claim to a storied past, a tragic period of abandonment, and the possibility of a pretty amazing future. The Larimer School was abandoned for 40 years, and the former elementary school has earned a spot on the National Register of Historic Places because of its storied past. Since then the property has been revitalized into additional mixed-income housing for the neighborhood.

St. Louis-based company McCormack Baron Salazar had been working on an extensive housing development in the neighborhood of the Larimer School, and their final stage of development included rehabilitating the historic property.
Google Maps
But before the property was turned into part of this new development, it had a fascinating history, and then decades of abandonment.
Designed by Ulysses J. Lincoln Peoples, a well-known architect in Pittsburgh, Larimer School's construction costs tallied $80,000 in 1896 due, in part, to the marble wainscoting and the terrazzo floors.
Wikimedia Commons/Leepaxton
It was the cream of the crop at its time, illustrating all kinds of innovation and architectural prestige.
The Romanesque-style building earned its name from William Larimer, Jr., the founder of Denver City in Colorado and the entrepreneur behind Pittsburgh's first Conestoga Wagon business.
Flickr/Todd Shirley
The main building, however, proved insufficient and several wings were added during Larimer School's history.

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Peoples designed the addition of 13 classrooms in 1904, which came with a $100,000 price tag.
Flickr / Brook Ward
There was some debate about the addition of an elaborate 125-foot high campanile (Italian-style bell tower) with the school bell in it. For all the investment that went into the building, it's tragic that it didn't have a longer legacy.
Architect George Rowland designed the final touches to Larimer School – the auditorium (check out the video at the end of the article for a glimpse at the auditorium today) and the gym.
Flickr / Brook Ward
These areas featured a streamlined Art Deco style including an aluminum ceiling decorated in a geometric pattern and black wainscoting.
Declining enrollment led to the permanent closing of Larimer School in 1980.
Flickr / Brook Ward
Shortly thereafter, the beautiful stained glass windows were removed from the building and sold, a tragic affront to the architectural wonders of the building. Six years later, the hauntingly beautiful building earned a spot on the National Register of Historic Places.

Click the play button below to go on a haunting tour of the formerly abandoned Larimer School.

Then read about five abandoned places in Pittsburgh that are being reclaimed by Mother Nature.

Up for some more exploring around Pittsburgh? Set off on some of the best hiking trails in Pittsburgh. You can find them on AllTrails Plus.

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More to Explore

Abandoned Places In Pittsburgh

CC | February 05, 2023

What are other abandoned places near me? 

After checking out the site of the formerly abandoned Larimer School, we suggest visiting these other cool abandoned sites:

  • Peter and Paul Church
  • Seldom Seen Greenway
  • Brownsville General Hospital
  • Piney Fork Railroad Tunnel
  • Carrie Furnaces
  • The Neill Log House
  • Dixmont State Hospital
  • Abandoned Pennsylvania Turnpike

 

What are some haunted places in Pittsburgh?

If you’ve got the guts for it, try checking out these haunted places in Pittsburgh as well:

  • Broughton School
  • Carnegie Library of Homestead
  • Pittsburgh Playhouse
  • Chatham University
  • Old Allegheny County Jail
  • University of Pittsburgh Cathedral of Learning
  • Blue Mist Road
  • National Aviary

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Featured Addresses
Old Larimer school building, 121 Winslow St, Pittsburgh, PA 15206, USA