Condo built in former school gym listed for $2.8 million

Here’s one way to go back to school: This massive, luxury condo on Queen Anne built in a former school gym. West Queen Anne School (not to be confused with the neighborhood’s other condo conversion from a former school, Queen Anne High School) was built between 1895 and 1896, and operated as a school until 1981. By then it was a city landmark, and the land and building were handed over to preservation group Historic Seattle. Cardwell/Thomas and Associates started the remodel in 1983, and by 1984, the building had reopened as condos.

Which brings us to Unit 110, built in the school’s former gym and auditorium—totaling 2,980 square feet—and listed for $2.8 million. In addition to the 1980s condo conversion, this unit got some extra love from architect Eric Cobb in 2004. The result is still believably a former gym, but it’s a sleek example of adaptive reuse. Two-story windows stretching up into a cathedral ceiling, a skylight, and a wide-open living, dining, and kitchen area highlight the expanse of the space.

A master suite gets a similar treatment, with two-story windows, plus an en-suite bath with a modern-design soaking tub. The former auditorium holds the second bedroom, office, and library—which, despite having not-quite-as-high ceilings, still feel airy thanks to their own floor-to-ceiling windows. When it’s time for outdoor recreation, private patios and terraces are accessible from the windows.

• 1401 5th Ave 110, Seattle [RSIR]