Foster School
Also known as: Stephen C. Foster Community Center
Why it's listed
Foster School is a three-story brick building in Pittsburgh, set in the center of a spacious lot enclosed by an iron fence. Its plan is a simple square, with a four-story tower projecting from the center of the front facade and three-story, three-sided entry bays on the sides. Tall narrow windows, rock-faced stone basement, dressed stone beltcourses and modillion cornices give it its character. The school was named for Foster ancestors, who had intended the land as a military cemetery; it was later given for school use on condition that this intention be marked by a monument. The school operated as an elementary school under the Washington Sub-district and was closed in 1939. It was sold in 1955 for use as a community center. It is regarded as a clear example of the ward-based school designs built in the late Victorian period, when each ward chose a distinctive school building.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is a vivid example of the schoolhouses built under the ward-based school board system during the late Victorian period. Its central tower, centralized four-room-per-floor plan and large fenced lot are cited as distinctive features, and it is described as an outstanding example of ward-based school designs.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 86002667, listed September 30, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 286 Main St., Pittsburgh |
|---|---|
| County | Allegheny County |
| Listed | September 30, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86002667 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1881-1900 |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Education, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as a community center since 1955; the form lists the present use as Foster Community Center. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Within district | Lawrenceville Historic District |
| Coordinates | 40.46769, -79.95858 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 86002667.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5473744
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.