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This 1887 brick Italianate, located in the Signal Hill neighborhood, is the
oldest surviving schoolhouse in Rockford. Designed by local architect George
Bradley, the main building, an 1892 addition and a 1920 gymnasium (Peterson
& Johnson, architects) sat vacant for 12 years before the Morrissey family
purchased the complex for redevelopment in 2001.
Aware of the property’s historic importance to the community, the owners
pursued and were granted listing on the National Register of Historic Places
in 2006. The school and gymnasium then were carefully rehabilitated while retaining
many of their historic architectural details, which were incorporated into
new residential units. The revitalization of these two buildings, plus 18
new townhomes on the adjacent lot, has been a catalyst for broader community
revitalization efforts.
Photo credits:1-6 © 2009
hans rupert/noir/all rights reserved
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