We bought an abandoned 100-year-old school for $175,000 and turned it into our dream home

A couple who bought a 100-year-old abandoned school for $175,000 spent three years renovating it to make it their home.

Stacie Grissom, 36, and her 35-year-old husband, orthopedic surgeon Sean, bought the former school in August 2021 after moving back to Franklin, Indiana, from New York City.

Stacie said she always wanted to live in a quirky house, but never expected to buy a school. At the time of purchase, the school consisted of four classrooms and a cloakroom.

The former Manhattan residents transformed the 4,000-square-foot building into a lavish home with four bedrooms, two bathrooms, a beautiful kitchen and a large living space.

Stacie and Sean finally wrapped up the renovation earlier this month. They admitted it was a “chaotic” process, but were glad it was over.

She shared how happy she was that she and her husband were able to make the building feel like home for them and their two children: Arlo, three, and Margot, two.

Stacie, a marketing and PR consultant, said, “I’m glad it’s almost over. Another year of renovations is not something I could have done.”

“Our lives have been very chaotic, raising two kids and doing renovations. I’m looking forward to just inviting our families over for big parties.

“I’m looking forward to celebrating Thanksgiving and Christmas here, making big meals and showing people the beauty of Indiana. We want to fill the school with love and laughter.”

Stacie and Sean had lived in New York for 10 years and wanted to move back to Indiana to be closer to their family.

While searching for a home, the couple came across the old school, which closed in 1934. In August 2021, they purchased the property and immediately began converting it into a home.

Stacie explained, “There was still a lot left on the property that we had to clear – a lot of work needed to be done. A new roof and foundation work needed to be done.

‘We stripped the school down to the bone. We put a new roof on it, reinforced the foundation and installed new windows.

“We’ve installed insulation, finished the interior construction and built the kitchen ourselves. Once the windows are back in place next week, we can move in.”

While the couple was more than ready to settle into their new home, Stacie recalls the stressful renovation project and says it didn’t all go smoothly, especially since it took place during the pandemic.

She explained: ‘There were some unexpected things that happened during the pandemic. Things took seven times longer than you originally thought they would.

“We found a 72-inch snakeskin in one of the walls. We’ve never seen a snake that big, but we do have some beastly tenants to work on.”

After encountering a lot of problems, the couple focused on the style of the house.

To maintain the school’s vintage look, Stacie and Sean decided to keep some of the original flooring.

She said: ‘We refinished one of the original pine floors in the classroom. Unfortunately we couldn’t save much of the floors so we put new ones in – they had water damage and were crumbling.

‘We tried to use a lot of second-hand stuff from old schools to put in the house. The dining room chairs I got came from an old school in Slovenia.’

Although the family is scheduled to move into the home-turned-school later this month, Stacie said they can’t relax yet as there is still a lot of work to be done.

She said: ‘Moving here is just the beginning. We have so many projects we want to do, we also want to add things to the house that celebrate the school.

“We want to add details that tell the story. It’s been a village effort to renovate the school. I’m so grateful to be back with my family and have their support.

“I’ve gotten to the point where I think, ‘Wow, we’re a little crazy to be doing this.’”