Washington Education Center (Pittsburgh)
Public school in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Washington Education Center is a former vocational school in the Pittsburgh neighborhood of Lawrenceville at 40th Street and Eden Way.
Washington Education Center | |
---|---|
Address | |
169 40th St. , 15216 | |
Information | |
Type | Public |
Established | September 1, 1937[1] |
Closed | 2006 |
School district | Pittsburgh Public Schools |
Grades | 9–12 |
Website | 40.4695°N 79.9628°W / 40.4695; -79.9628 |
Washington Vocational School | |
Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
Built | 1908 |
Architect | Charles W. Bier, Marion M. Steen |
Architectural style | Late Victorian, Art Deco |
Part of | Lawrenceville Historic District[2] (ID100004020) |
MPS | Pittsburgh Public Schools TR |
NRHP reference No. | 86002715[3] |
Significant dates | |
Added to NRHP | September 30, 1986 |
Designated CP | July 8, 2019 |
Designated PHLF | 2002[4] |
Washington Polytechnic Academy was located on the former site of Washington Elementary School, which had a history spanning from 1868 until 1935. Originally named Washington Number One, the school was named in honor of George Washington's crossing of the Allegheny River with Christopher Gist. A marker on the school notes the event. A structure was constructed on the site in 1908 and in 1936 was expanded to form the Washington Trade School. The Charles W. Bier designed structure opened on September 1, 1937.[1] From 1937 until the early 21st century it served as a public vocational school[5] capable of accommodating 900 students and included a testing laboratory, bricklaying shop, print shop, library, two drafting rooms, blue print shop, mimeograph room, and an auditorium with a seating capacity of 384.
On February 2, 1972 Julie Nixon Eisenhower visited the school during her fathers re-election campaign to discuss busing.[6] In May 1972, an international contingent of students visited the center from Brazil, Thailand, South Korea, Venezuela, Chile, Peru, Afghanistan, and Libya.[7]
The school building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986.[3] The building was used as a school until 2006 and later sold with plans to be converted to a hotel.[8] It opened in 2019 as the TRYP by Wyndham Pittsburgh/Lawrenceville, with 108 guest rooms and two restaurants.[9]