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Old Faxon School
3710 Paseo
The Paseo is poised to be the new Crossroads Art District, and this building is right in the thick of the boulevard’s transformation. It features a cornucopia of historic KC construction materials, with stone on the first floor, striped brick on the second and yellow brick on the third. Stonework above the entrances includes Greek-style busts staring down, as if in approval of the art galleries and studios that could grace these grounds.
History: Frank A. Faxon, a respected citizen and member of the board of education, lent his name to a school that opened in 1906 to 88 students and two teachers.
Square footage: 22,225
Price: $503,840
Manchester
6841 Truman Road
Imagine motoring up this circular drive and entering your new home, with hand-carved stonework on the arched entranceway. Skylights in the east wing could accentuate your new solarium, and the paved rear yard could hold multiple tennis courts.
History: Manchester joined the school district in 1899, but the present building wasn’t finished until 1920, delayed due to World War I. Once completed, Manchester boasted a bathroom for each classroom, two gyms, two open-air rooms for anemic students and evening classes for non-English speakers.
Square footage: 29,588
Price: $616,666
Norman School
3521 Summit
Houses, townhomes and apartments all around this grand old building have been renovated in recent years. This is a project perfect for a developer with deep pockets.
History: Norman School was the first school building in Kansas City constructed with a stone exterior, giving it a stately look that fit the uptown wealth of the Valentine neighborhood of 1901. Last used as a teacher resource center, it closed for good in 2005.
Square footage: 15,903
Price: $359,136
Hannah Zimmerman contributed to this report.
Photos by Eric Barton
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