Old Cony High School

Old Cony High School is a historic school building at Cony and Church Streets in Augusta, Maine. Built between 1926 and 1932, it is locally unusual for its flatiron shape, and its social history as the city's third high school building. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.[1]

Old Cony High School
Old Cony High School in 2013
LocationCony Circle at Cony and Stone Sts. Augusta, Maine
Coordinates44°18′58″N 69°46′3″W
Built1926 (1926), 1932; renovated 2014-2015
ArchitectBunker & Savage
Architectural styleColonial Revival
Websitehttp://conyflatironapartments.com/
NRHP reference No.88001841[1]
Added to NRHPSeptember 29, 1988

Design

Built between 1926 and 1932, the old Cony High School is a three-story wedge-shaped (or flatiron-shaped) building with Colonial Revival detailing. The curved entrance facade faces northwest, with Tuscan columns on a granite foundation. The unusual Colonial Revival style brick building was designed by local firm Bunker and Savage.[2]

History
Old Cony High School viewed from Southwest

In the 1920s, it was realized that the existing Cony Free High School was unable to accommodate plans for future enrollment. Construction was started on the Old Cony High School in 1926. The building was dedicated on November 12, 1930, but the third story was not finished until 1932.[2]

The building was used as a school until 2006. At that time, a new school was built, and the city of Augusta maintained the empty old building as a heated storage facility at a cost of $75,000 per year.[3][4]

In 2013, the group Housing Initiatives of New England stepped forward to renovate the school into a living center for senior adults. With a tax credit from the Maine State Housing Authority, plus several grants, the project went forward to renovate the interior and exterior of the building, while preserving historic features.[3] The staircase, corridors, and original entrances will be preserved. The windows will be replaced with new windows designed to match the original.[5] The historic Daniel Cony clock will remain in the building.[3]

The building remains property of the City of Augusta, but the group Housing Initiatives of New England retains a long-term, 49-year lease for a fee of $1/year.[5]

In July 2015, the renovated building was opened as Cony Flatiron Senior Residence, a senior housing complex.[6] Some of the residents were formerly students at the high school.[6]

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See also

References
  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  2. Maine Historic Preservation Commission (29 Aug 1988). "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form" (PDF). NPS.go. National Park Service. Retrieved 8 February 2015.
  3. Koenig, Paul (8 November 2013). "Developer of Augusta's old Cony High School gets tax credits". Kennebec Journal / Morning Sentinel. Retrieved 8 February 2015.
  4. Edwards, Keith (21 January 2014). "Augusta looking for a place to move stuff from old Cony High School". Kennebec Journal / Morning Sentinel. Retrieved 8 February 2015.
  5. Edwards, Keith (20 June 2014). "Cony flatiron building deal closes". Kennebec Journal / Morning Sentinel. Retrieved 8 February 2015.
  6. Edwards, Keith (16 July 2015). "Former Augusta high school now housing for senior citizens". Kennebec Journal. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
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