Loft in century-old Queen Anne elementary school listed for $565K

Situated on a tree-lined street a few blocks north of Kerry Park, this one-bedroom, one-bathroom, loft-style condo offers 766 square feet of historic charm, with 13-foot ceilings and Palladian windows.

Built in 1896, the West Queen Anne Elementary School building was designated a Seattle Landmark in 1977 and transformed into 49 private residences in the 1980s. It operated as an elementary school until 1974, when the Boeing Bust and a subsequent recession in Seattle led to declining enrollment. It’s conversion from classrooms to condos was the largest privately financed adaptive reuse project of its kind in the Pacific Northwest, and according to its website, is still considered a model for salvaging surplus schools.

The exterior of this Romanesque, four-story building is covered by dark, red brick and defined by its steep roof lines and tall, arched windows. The sprawling structure sits on a 1.76-acre manicured lawn just east of the Salish Sea and northwest of downtown.

Past the circle driveway and water fountain out front, this home occupies a second-floor corner unit. Unit 201’s most inviting spaces are its open, airy dining and living room areas — which flow from one into the other. Sky-high windows line two walls, and a working fireplace covered in elegant detail sits at the center of the living room.

The kitchen and restroom — both cozy, but updated with sleek fixtures and finishes — sit at the interior-most portion of the condo, just inside the front door and across from each other. Despite their compact footprints, both offer ample storage space and modern appliances on sparkly clean canvases. A heated, light grey tile is underfoot in the restroom, while the rest of the main level is covered in bright, polished hardwood.

A custom steel staircase leads from the living area to the bedroom loft overhead. The space is unconventionally shaped as far as bedrooms go, but provides enough square-footage for a large bed and a dresser or armoire. A small built-in shelf would be ideal for bedside books, a lamp and/or other easy-to-access tchotchkes. Looking over the edge of the loft, occupants are treated to an aerial view of their domain.

HOA dues come in at $437 per month, but to round on the amenities of this timeless West Queen Anne School condo, the building offers on-site parking, a first-floor storage unit, and a workout facility.

• 1401 5th Ave W 201 Seattle, WA 98119 [Windermere]