Shea Terrace Elementary School
Also known as: 124-5083
Why it's listed
Opened in September 1925 as the Sixth Avenue School, this two-story, nine-bay red brick building in Portsmouth's Shea Terrace neighborhood was later renamed when Sixth Avenue became Constitution Avenue. It replaced the outmoded Glasgow Street School and was the second largest school in the city at the time. Its sixteen classrooms were joined by a manual training room, library, infirmary and a large assembly and gymnasium space, reflecting a modern idea of what a school should offer. The projecting center pavilion carries cast concrete floral panels, colored brick patterning and a modillioned cornice. Inside are terrazzo corridors, pressed tin ceilings and classrooms with five-window walls and built-in coat closets. Architect Charles M. Robinson, who designed schools across Virginia, produced the plans. The building served students until June 2000 and is now vacant. It was listed for its role in local education and for its architecture.
Significance in brief: The school is argued to be significant under Criterion A for education, as a progressive-era school with a gymnasium/assembly room, library and special rooms that replaced an outmoded school. Under Criterion C it is significant for architecture as the work of Charles M. Robinson, a prominent Virginia school architect. It served as a neighborhood school for about seventy-five years.
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 02001002, listed September 14, 2002. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 253 Constitution Ave., Portsmouth (Independent City) |
|---|---|
| County | Portsmouth |
| Listed | September 14, 2002 |
| Reference number | 02001002 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1925-1952 |
| Architect / builder | Charles M. Robinson |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and Early 20th Century Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Education |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The form lists current function as vacant, not in use. The school operated until June 2000. |
| Acreage | 1.9 |
| Coordinates | 36.84205, -76.32418 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 02001002.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7492150
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.