Saint Mary's Academy Building Explained

Saint Mary's Academy Building
Nrhp Type:cp
Partof:Lawrenceville Historic District
Partof Refnum:100004020
Designated Other1:PGHL
Designated Other1 Date:December 30, 2008[1]
Designated Other1 Abbr:CPHD
Designated Other1 Num Position:bottom
Location:340 46th St.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Coordinates:40.47°N -79.9552°W
Built:1854
Designated Nrhp Type:July 8, 2019

The Saint Mary's Academy Building is a historic building in the Lawrenceville neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Built in 1854, it is a notable example of Greek Revival architecture and one of the neighborhood's only surviving buildings dating to the pre–Civil War era.[2] It was the first structure built by St. Mary's parish, the first Catholic parish in Lawrenceville, and was originally used as both a church and school. In 1874, a new St. Mary's Church was built next door. St. Mary's merged with three other Lawrenceville parishes (Holy Family, St. Augustine, and St. John the Baptist) in 1993 to form the new Our Lady of Angels parish. The St. Mary church buildings remained in use for a few years but closed in 2004.[3]

In 2007, the property was sold to the Catholic Cemeteries Association, which administers the adjacent St. Mary Cemetery. The association planned to raze the Academy building to provide more room for burials, but the building was nominated as a Pittsburgh historic landmark to protect it from demolition.[2] The building was given landmark status on December 30, 2008.[1] It remains vacant as of 2018.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Local Historic Designations . Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation . Pittsburgh . 2011-08-15.
  2. News: Paul . Jenny . Architect hopes to save former St. Mary's in Lawrenceville . May 10, 2018 . Pittsburgh Tribune-Review . August 6, 2008.
  3. Web site: Saint Mary (46th Street) (Lawrenceville) . Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh . May 10, 2018.