Former School Building in Cincinnati OH Converted into Apartments

Kirby Road School, Cincinnati Ohio

Date added: October 21, 2024

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The Kirby Road School, built in 1910 in association with the Cincinnati school system's implementation of educational reforms during the Progressive Movement in Cincinnati. Various changes were made resulting in a new school that provided a broader range of teaching, classroom, and school site reforms that addressed the educational development of schools in general and within the Cincinnati neighborhood of Northside. Beginning with its construction in 1910 and continuing into the late 1960s and 1970s, these reforms continued to address the primary school needs of the northern portion of the neighborhood of Northside.

With residential development of the neighborhood, especially during the late-19^th and early-20^th century, the community required a new modern public primary school that functioned with the existing Salmon P. Chase School in fulfilling the public educational needs of the community. As Northside developed, matured, and maintained its neighborhood vibrancy into the 1970s, the school was an active contributor to and facilitator of a variety of neighborhood functions beyond those basic to the educational role of a school. These included activities that resulted from the school being open to numerous community wide programs and events.

The building is one of a very few Neo-Classical Revival schools designed for the Cincinnati school system during the early 20^th century.

The original community of Cumminsville, which incorporates the present neighborhood of Northside, began to grow with the early settlement of Cincinnati. As industrial development started utilizing the nearby Mill Creek for a transportation corridor and source of water, settlement was attracted into the area. In response to the construction of the Miami and Erie Canal in the early 1820s, the road system also began to develop, with Hamilton and Spring Grove Avenues emerging as important road systems for canal related development. The opening of the local link of the canal in 1829 brought new businesses to Cumminsville. Several of these were small industrial and warehouse businesses. As the main connection between Cincinnati and area's to the north used Hamilton Road as the major route, additional businesses such as inns, taverns, lumber yards and businesses serving the local area developed. By 1838, Cumminsville had a population of approximately 200 residents. However, the area remained essentially rural in character for a number of years, and it was not until 1853 that the first local school was established on land donated by Timothy Kirby (1797-1876), a local lawyer, banker and land developer, who had migrated from Connecticut in 1814. With the establishment of the Cincinnati, Hamilton and Dayton Railroad in 1851 that connected downtown Cincinnati and the area north of the city, Cumminsville continued to prosper.

In 1865 the area was incorporated, followed by annexation into the city of Cincinnati in 1873. By then, the community had reached a population of approximately 4,200. The importance of being annexed into the city soon became evident. The city could provide infrastructure in the form of better roads and water as well as fire and police protection. In the meantime, the local school was expanded several times. The original Kirby School was not the only school in the community. Like many Catholic parishes in Cincinnati, St. Patrick Catholic Church, an Irish Catholic parish, incorporated a school. Starting in the 1850s and closing in 1991, the parish provided an educational opportunity to its younger members. In 1863, St. Boniface Church was built and also offered schooling to its school-age German Catholic parishioners. The church still retains a parish school which was constructed in 1927.

The years from 1880 into 1900 were a period of increased physical development of Cumminsville, with the northern part of Cumminsville establishing a distinct identity known as Northside. Hamilton Avenue, which passed through Northside, was a link between Cincinnati and the newer evolving suburbs. Northside emerged as a more upscale area and developers began to distinguish it from Cumminsville. In 1888, the Cincinnati school system constructed the Salmon P. Chase School within Northside. Located more central to Northside and a few blocks to the southeast of the Kirby Road School, Chase School relieved the overcrowding at the smaller Kirby School and was the dominant local public school at that time. By the early 1900s, Northside was being developed for middle-class families, and the area around the future site of the new Kirby Road School was a part of that activity.

Developers had long had land for sale in Northside. But, as with many communities, that development was scattered. Lots would be slow to be constructed upon or only a part of a development was favored for houses. At the turn of the 20^th century, Northside's location attracted growth. This was in part due to increased economic development of the city and to the growth and expansion within the community. Kirby Road was improved and residential development increased. Because of this general expansion, Salmon P. Chase School became crowded. The Cincinnati school system decided to construct a new school in the northwest portion of the neighborhood to alleviate the overcrowding and provide a school to students in this part of the community. The land purchased for the new school had originally been platted for housing development.

The construction of Kirby Road School was undertaken during a time when a number of new school developments were occurring across the city. The early 20^th century was a period of increased school construction with the adoption of new teaching philosophies within new facilities. From 1900 to 1919, a total of eighteen new schools were built, including the Kirby Road School. From 1920 to 1935, thirteen new neighborhood schools were constructed in Cincinnati. Reasons for this growth can be attributed to the replacement of older schools, annexation and need for new school construction, and population growth within some neighborhoods requiring expanded school facilities. With the construction of the new Kirby Road School and the existing Salmon P. Chase School, two public schools were made available in Northside to accommodate the growing student population, while the Garfield School, which was constructed in 1897 about a mile south of the Salmon P. Chase School, educated students that lived in the Cumminsville area.

Over the following years, Northside's two public schools undertook a variety of activities that were focused not only on education, but also designed to strengthen community ties with the school and its students. Activities at Kirby Road School included such things as the choir performing at community functions, varied fund drives for both world wars, varied stage productions open to the public, and paper drives. Throughout the years, Kirby Road School continued to function until declining enrollments and school consolidations brought about a rethinking of the future prospects for the school. It ceased being a school in 2005.

The late 19^th and early 20^th century was a time for varied progressive reforms within the political, social and educational development of the United States. Cincinnati incorporated many progressive reform ideas as it sought to advance within these areas including philanthropic construction of affordable housing for low income families, hiring of professionals in government for positions as city manager and city engineer, and undertaking comprehensive city planning and park development.

With respect to progressive school reforms, school systems in the United States, including the Cincinnati school system, began to upgrade teaching qualifications, design new curriculums to produce better educated students, and make the day to day student learning experience one that encouraged a greater variety of experiences. Additionally, the school evolved as a positive agent of social change. Schools were encouraged to fill a broader role within the community and began to offer adult educational opportunities, with the school often taking on the role of a neighborhood center. Facilities such as the gymnasium, auditorium, cafeteria, and larger playground, were typically made available for use by the community.

Cincinnati's Progressive Movement within education was the product of varied factors, particularly increased state legislation for educational requirements. In 1877, the Ohio Legislature mandated that all children from eight to fourteen years of age attend school for a period of twelve weeks. This new legislation requiring school attendance resulted in the need for additional local schools. By 1889, the length of school attendance was increased to twenty weeks per year. As educational requirements expanded, so did Cincinnati and its neighborhoods. Additionally, the suburban development adjacent to Cincinnati attracted new residents, and more students required more buildings.

It was within the incorporation of the progressive approach to education by the school system that Kirby Road School was designed to advance education. Architecturally, the school included larger windows, pleasant interior spaces and rooms dedicated to specific activities such as art, music and physical education. The Cincinnati school system, prior to the Progressive Movement, provided limited space set aside for such facilities, and the Kirby Road School was built to include both an auditorium and gymnasium. The building's site was set back from the street and surrounded by grassy open space to help define its location and to make a transition from the residential area into the school site. This also separated the school from the surrounding streets and added to it its imposing location.

It has long been recognized that a productive, functioning school contributes to strong neighborhood development. This notion, coupled with the involvement of parents in local school affairs, a religious base that historically attracted families into neighborhoods, and a vibrant local neighborhood business district, resulted in a viable neighborhood for Northside. The neighborhood continued to grow and maintained these varied functions throughout the years. The PTA was active, with outreach activities contributing to the use of the school and its facilities. The local business district provided the daily and weekly needs of the community with a range of products and services that the resident sustained. With the establishment of the "Progressive Reform" principles in the new Kirby Road School and the growth and sustaining of the community over the years, the school helped maintain a good quality of neighborhood living.

However, by the late 1960s and into the 1970s, the neighborhood began to go through a transition. Desegregation mandates, social and economic shifts, the rise of alternative schools, and declining student enrollments led to changes in the Northside community. Salmon P. Chase School was closed in 1979, and students were transferred to Kirby Road School. The school also began to lose the strong neighborhood influence that it had previously maintained, with fewer neighborhood activities taking place at the school and parental involvement decreasing. At the same time, the neighborhood business district lost numerous basic stores that catered to neighborhood needs. Several banks, bakery, local cafe's and other businesses closed.

The Kirby Road School was a part of the overall development of new schools within growing Cincinnati neighborhoods. During the broad period from 1905 to 1915, the school system funded three additional schools across the city that incorporated the Classical Revival design. These were Highlands School (1909 and demolished in 2012), Pleasant Ridge School (1909 and demolished in 2006) and George E. Sands School (1912). Within the same broad period, the school system constructed a number of schools utilizing a variety of then popular styles that included Beaux Arts, Collegiate Tudor, Jacobethan, and Second Renaissance Revival.

Neo-Classical Revival design was a popular style that contributed to the "American Renaissance" movement prominent in the last part of the 19 century extending into the early 20^th century. The design elements were used to articulate buildings, especially large buildings, and also attempt to revive classical ideals. Typical designs elements included large massing, symmetrical facades with central full-height porticos supported by classical columns, the use of dentils and modillions below the eaves, a wide frieze below the cornice, and centered doorways often capped with a decorative lintel or a broken pediment.

The Cincinnati architectural firm of Elzner and Anderson was chosen to design Kirby Road School. Not noted as school architects, the school was only the second one designed by the firm for the Cincinnati school system. In 1903, they received their first commission to design the College Hill School in the Colonial Revival style (demolished in 2009). Apart from these two schools, the firm had no subsequent involvement with the school board.

Their appointment followed a period when the school board had hired several local Cincinnati firms to exclusively design their buildings. These included Henry E. Siter and Dornette and Sheppard. They began to employ other architectural firms in an effort to incorporate a variety of styles and design concepts into Cincinnati's public school architecture.

The Cincinnati architectural firm of Elzner and Anderson began work together in 1897. They soon gained prominence with their diverse residential designs for wealthy clients in the then up-and-coming east side neighborhoods of East Walnut Hills and Hyde Park. While working in this area of the city, they also designed the clubhouse for the Hyde Park Country Club.

Elzner and Anderson's most significant design was not residential, however, but one of Cincinnati's earliest skyscrapers. The Ingalls Building was constructed in 1903 and was the world's first reinforced concrete skyscraper at the time of its construction. Mr. Anderson's brother was then a vice-president for the Ferro Construction Company and was instrument in bringing Elzner and Anderson into the role of architects for that building.

In addition to the Ingalls Building, the firm designed the George Hoadley House (1900), Edward R. Stearns House (1902), and the Procter and Collier-Beau Brummel Building (1921). The also designed the Stimson Memorial Hall (1900) in Gray Maine. They designed numerous upscale residential buildings in Cincinnati.

Alfred O. Elzner (1862-1933) was born in Cincinnati. He studied with prominent local artists, obtained technical training at the local Ohio Mechanics' Institute and attended MIT. He evolved into a delineator and worked for the prominent local architect James W. McLaughlin during the early 1880s. He was employed by H. H. Richardson in Cincinnati as construction manager for Richardson's Romanesque Revival Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce Building (1889 and destroyed by fire in 1911).

In 1887, Mr. Elzner established his own office in Cincinnati, undertaking a variety of commissions. He joined with Mr. Anderson in 1896. Their collaboration was sustained with the varied strength that each brought to the firm. Mr. Anderson was well connected with Cincinnati's elite, and Mr. Elzner brought technical and construction techniques.

George M. Anderson (1869-1916) was also born in Cincinnati and received a degree from the Department of Architecture at Columbia University in 1891. He obtained a second degree from the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris. Returning to Cincinnati, he spent time with Samuel Hannaford and Sons, a very prominent local firm that designed residences, churches, public buildings, and apartments. Mr. Anderson decided to concentrate on residential designs and began a professional relationship with Elzner in 1897. He was also very involved locally with architectural development as local chapter president of the Cincinnati chapter of the American Institute of Architects.

In 2002, the Cincinnati School Board adopted a large-scale master plan that revamped school facilities. Many had experienced declining enrollments, suffered from lack of maintenance or were not compatible with modern school facility standards. The plan called for the construction of thirty-four new schools and the rehabilitation of sixteen existing schools. Demolition of older schools was associated with some new school construction. Additionally, it was foreseen that a few existing schools would not be included for rehabilitation. The Kirby Road School was not to be rehabilitated and, after evaluation, it was determined that the school along with others would be auctioned as surplus. In 2009, nine schools were sold and in 2012 an additional thirteen followed. The Kirby Road School was purchased in 2012 by Bloomfield/Schon + Partners for redevelopment into market rate housing. The firm was recently involved with the adaptive reuse of the American Can Company Building within the Northside community.

The building was rescued and converted into the Kirby School Apartments

Building Description

The Kirby Road School is found on an elevated site within approximately five acres used for the school location, playground, parking, and passive green space. The site is situated at the northeast corner of the intersection of Kirby Avenue and Bruce Avenue within the Cincinnati neighborhood of Northside. Because of the location and prominence of its site, the building is considered a focal point within its residential streetscape setting.

Constructed in 1910, it is a large scale, three story, buff brick, symmetrical primary school building, exhibiting stylistic detailing associated with the Neo-Classical Revival style of architecture. The layout of the building exhibits a modified "H" plan. Main facade massing is accentuated by the use of a central frontispiece with recessed hyphens connecting flanking wings. The main facade frontispiece is defined by a decorative central portico that extends the height of the building. Associated with the property are four temporary classroom structures. Over the years, the school has not experienced any significant changes to its excellent exterior or interior detailing.

The Kirby Road School is found on a mostly developed five-acre tract within the Northside neighborhood of Cincinnati. This neighborhood developed in the late-19^th and early-20^th century as part of the independent community of Cumminsville that was later annexed into the expanding city. The school is found at a prominent intersection and is located on a rise of ground higher than the surrounding residential streetscapes. The homes to the east of the school along Innis Avenue exhibit a mix of small late 19 century vernacular and cottage styles. South of the school and extending east along Bruce Avenue are larger Queen Anne and Foursquare styles that were constructed in the early 20^th Century. Overall, the residential buildings in close proximity to the school are simple in detailing, with many having experienced alterations over the years. The setting of the school is highlighted with a grassy landscape across the main facade and extending north along the east side of the property. Several low stairs are included in walkways that lead to the south facing main facade. Asphalt parking is located at the rear and west side of the building. A paved playground extends beyond the parking. With the demand for additional classrooms, four temporary classrooms have been constructed to the rear of the school on a portion of the playground. Beyond the rear playground, extending to the north, is found a higher elevation of ground that has not been developed.

The entire building rests atop a slightly raised, rock-faced foundation composed of ashlar limestone. The main south-facing facade rises above the ashlar foundation and is separated from it with a continuous coved sandstone belt course. Extending across this facade above the belt course, the first floor wall treatment is composed of buff stretcher bond brick in a heavy rustication used to accentuate the horizontal massing. A smaller sandstone belt course differentiates the first from the second floor. The second and third floors continue the same stretcher bond brick treatment. Corbel courses extend horizontally to separate the top of the third floor from the roof parapet. An additional sandstone string course, flowing across the parapet, and stone coping above the parapet help to define the horizontal emphasis of the main facade. The flat roof is made up of composition materials and does not extend above the parapet.

Overall, the three-story main facade is composed of a central frontispiece and portico flanked on either side by mixed bay fenestration, recessed five bay hyphens, and four bay side wings that project slightly from the facade line. The horizontal emphasis continues with the delineation of the window bay placement across the facade.

At the central frontispiece, the dominant large portico extends from the stepped first-story central entry. The two-story portico rises above the height of the main facade to incorporate paired, smooth tapered, limestone Tuscan order columns linked by a low limestone balustrade. The columns support a full entablature which includes a simple architrave and the frieze containing the name of the school incised across the front in block letters. The cornice incorporates large dentils that are part of the enclosed pediment gable containing a geometric detailed tympanum.

The first floor main door has been replaced with simple metal double doors. The other doors, at this facade, are original and incorporate glass or panels and glass with plain or geometric lighted transoms. Doorways at the side wings are enframed with broadly channeled sandstone.

The main facade fenestration, on the second and third floor stories, is composed mostly of 12/12 double-hung wood sash windows enframed with plain brick lintels and either plain sandstone lug sills or lug sills that evolve into string courses. Window bays at the first floor, by contrast, exhibit mostly 9/9 double-hung wood sash. The fenestration placement differs at the west wing, featuring three central recessed bays with rectangular blind panels extending across the second and third floors. At the east wing these bays incorporate the standard window detailing.

Overall, the east and west facades of the end wings exhibit wall treatment and door and window configurations similar to that of the main facade. However, each facade is asymmetrical, with fewer, irregularly placed window bays at the second and third floors. By contrast, the central entrance of each facade wing is contained within a full-height stepped projection.

The rear facade continues the same general detailing found on the rest of the building. One difference is that the central projection incorporates semicircular headed windows at the second floor. The only exterior addition to the building is found at the first floor with the incorporation of a small concrete block addition.

The interior details of the building incorporate those typically associated with Cincinnati schools constructed during the first part of the 20 century, influenced by early 20 century educational reforms. Numerous architectural features in schools of this era reflect improvements the reformers had requested. These include large windows for natural light; raised basements, so light could be brought into the lower level; and transom windows and tall ceilings for proper ventilation.

Defining interior features of this building include the main stairs and mosaic tile inscription at the base, double loaded hallways at the second and third floors, decorative tile fountains at upper floors, large volumetric auditorium with decorative detailing at second floor, and a paneled bead board gymnasium at the third floor.

This building is distinguished by the excellent retention of numerous details associated with interior school spaces. Classrooms are large with dark stained trim found at door and window surrounds and baseboards. Many glass and panel and panel doors are present. Coatrooms with associated coat hooks and wooden storage cabinets are incorporated into many classrooms. Original blackboards with chalk rails are evident throughout the classrooms. Plaster walls and high ceilings add interest. Some ceilings retain their original height while others have been dropped. Most classrooms incorporate modern light fixtures although some original classroom light fixtures are extant. Halls and corridors retain the same general trim and door detailing as found within the classrooms.

The basement level housed the mechanicals, workshops, and storage. A two-story boiler and ventilation system occupy the central portion of this area. Large boilers supplied steam to radiators throughout the building. This area is unadorned with respect to any significant detailing. Ashlar stone at perimeter walls and brick and drywall partitions compose the wall treatment. Within recent years, two very simple small classrooms were configured into this level. At either end of this level are found two very plain metal stairs that extend up to the first floor.

The first floor is distinguished by the incorporation of the central marble staircase that rises to the second floor. At the base of the stairwell is located an inscription composed of polychromic tile with a decorative design of an open book containing the Latin inscription "FAIT LUX" meaning "LET THERE BE LIGHT". A cafeteria, which occupies space originally used as a play area, has been incorporated within the west wing of this floor while the east wing has been subdivided with concrete block walls into classroom spaces. A plain metal staircase, within a fire-rated added enclosure, leads up to the second floor from each side corridor. The main modern toilets for the school are located at this floor. Because of the lower level boiler and ventilation rooms extend up into this floor, there is no clear delineation of an east-west corridor. Instead, the floor is divided into east and west sections that utilize the two separate staircases to traverse onto the other floors. Right classrooms incorporating typical architectural details are located on this floor.

As the central staircase opens onto the second floor, a large foyer evolves into the main hallway. An open balustrade is composed of narrow metal vertical balusters and capped with a wooden rail. A massive newel post terminates the staircase. Several rectangular columns rise to support a beamed ceiling. The central corridor is distinguished by several elliptical beams as the foyer ends. The original floor layout, at the west side of the foyer, has been altered with an enclosure to provide for an enlarged main school office. Behind this enclosure are several original rooms that had been converted into offices for teachers and administrators. The original library with original wooden book shelves is largely intact and is located behind the stairwell. Within the corridor are found two decorative arched tile water fountains. School offices have dropped ceilings and some paneled walls. The central main stairwell terminates at this floor. Another distinctive feature at the second floor is the auditorium located across the corridor from the central stairs. The auditorium's stage is flanked by a proscenium arch and extended apron, and here the interior is highlighted by a volumetric space that rises above into the third floor. This space is articulated with continuous keystone semicircular arches flanking flat engaged columns to create simple spandrels. Beyond the main foyer and administrative spaces, classrooms line the corridor, with three in each wing and one off each hyphen. Typical classroom detailing continues at this floor within each of the eight classroom spaces.

The side stairwells continue up to the third floor with their fire rated enclosures visible at the floor landing. The whole stairwell run from basement to third floor is composed of metal treads and risers and plain metal balustrades. The third floor corridors continue the same general design as the lower floors and incorporate two more decorative curved tile fountains. The auditorium vaulted space continues. Presently, one large classroom, recently used as a library, can be found elevated above the third floor and over the auditorium. Originally, it was a classroom flanked by toilets that served the third floor as well. This is reached from an interior, two-sided staircase that extends from the north side of the third floor corridor. The school's gymnasium is located on the south side of the third floor. It occupies all of the space found within the central frontispiece and has skylights that help to light the space as well as vertical bead board to protect the lower portion of the walls. This floor also exhibits eight classrooms.

The interior has experienced some changes over the years. Incorporation of a cafeteria resulted in the loss of an original play area, some interior ceilings have been dropped and modern light fixtures added (upper portion of window surrounds are obscured but remain). Fire rated enclosures were added at the two minor stairwells. Four original tile fountains remain in place. One room enclosure was created at the second floor foyer to accommodate the need for an expanded office and reception area. Several classrooms were added to the basement and several classrooms had been reconfigured for varied school needs.