Lawrence Public School
Why it's listed
Built in 1872 at 3701 Charlotte Street in Pittsburgh's Lawrenceville neighborhood, this three-story brick school is among the early public schools built in the city. Its construction was prompted by a stated need for German language instruction in the community, and it was named for Lawrenceville. The building is one of a group of Pittsburgh schoolhouses associated with the firm Barr & Moser, which was the earliest identified architectural firm involved in Pittsburgh public school design. The firm also designed Central High School, the city's first public high school. The school's design includes projecting center and corner bays, tall narrow windows with segmented and rounded arches, and a brick cornice with corbeled brackets. The school closed in 1939 when students moved to Arsenal Elementary School, and the building was sold in 1945. Later brick additions have altered its original form, including the loss of its hipped roof and cupola, and its interior is presumed to be significantly compromised.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is significant in education and architecture as one of the early Pittsburgh public school buildings, associated with the first era of public school construction in the city. It is described as a rare surviving example of the school named for its Lawrenceville community, and the document notes its construction was driven by a stated need for German language instruction. The building's architectural design is linked to the firm Barr & Moser.
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 86002679, listed September 30, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 3701 Charlotte St., Pittsburgh |
|---|---|
| County | Allegheny County |
| Listed | September 30, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86002679 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1861-1880 |
| Architect / builder | Barr & Moser |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Education, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as a warehouse; closed as a school in 1939 and sold in 1945. Exterior is in considerable disrepair and original hipped roof and cupola have been lost. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Lawrenceville Historic District |
| Coordinates | 40.46703, -79.96555 (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 86002679.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6504501
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.