Andrew B. Murray Vocational School
Encyclopedia
The Murray Vocational School is located at 3 Chisolm Street, Charleston, South Carolina
. The school was built by the City of Charleston and opened in 1923 as the Murray Vocational School, named in honor of philanthropist Andrew Buist Murray. Murray, who had grown up in a Charleston orphanage, financed the construction of the school as his way of repaying the city. David Hyer, a former civil engineer at the Charleston Naval yard, designed the three-story, masonry and steel main building in the Neoclassical Revival style. The building's masonry facade, engaged portico, and fanlight
ed doorway are all characteristic of the style. The original two-story brick custodian's cottage and a circa 1950 three-story gymnasium complete the facility.
The school closed in 1970 and the property was used by the Charleston County School District
as its offices. The building was abandoned by the school district when it completed new headquarters at 75 Calhoun St.
The three buildings were restored and converted into a 27-unit condominium project in the early 2000s. The adaptive reuse was accomplished with only minimal exterior changes. The restoration of the building received a Carolopolis Award from the Preservation Society of Charleston in January 2003.
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
. The school was built by the City of Charleston and opened in 1923 as the Murray Vocational School, named in honor of philanthropist Andrew Buist Murray. Murray, who had grown up in a Charleston orphanage, financed the construction of the school as his way of repaying the city. David Hyer, a former civil engineer at the Charleston Naval yard, designed the three-story, masonry and steel main building in the Neoclassical Revival style. The building's masonry facade, engaged portico, and fanlight
Fanlight
A fanlight is a window, semicircular or semi-elliptical in shape, with glazing bars or tracery sets radiating out like an open fan, It is placed over another window or a doorway. and is sometimes hinged to a transom. The bars in the fixed glazed window spread out in the manner a sunburst...
ed doorway are all characteristic of the style. The original two-story brick custodian's cottage and a circa 1950 three-story gymnasium complete the facility.
The school closed in 1970 and the property was used by the Charleston County School District
Charleston County School District
Charleston County School District is a school district within Charleston County, South Carolina, that educates roughly 8,000 kindergarten to 12th grade students in 23 schools.- High Schools:*Central High School, Pageland*Cheraw High School, Cheraw...
as its offices. The building was abandoned by the school district when it completed new headquarters at 75 Calhoun St.
The three buildings were restored and converted into a 27-unit condominium project in the early 2000s. The adaptive reuse was accomplished with only minimal exterior changes. The restoration of the building received a Carolopolis Award from the Preservation Society of Charleston in January 2003.