Building at Risk —

Southern Pines Elementary

The Southern Pines Elementary School is a historic complex of buildings that has served the Southern Pines community since 1907.

The complex consists of:

• The main campus building fronting May Street, designed by renowned architect Aymar Embury in 1924. Featured in a 1924 issue of Architectural Record for its distinctive design. 

• The classroom building on Massachusetts Ave., designed in the late 1920s by William H. Deitrick, one of North Carolina’s most successful architects.

• The classical revival Gymnasium on Massachussetts Avenue.  

The complex is also surrounded on all sides by the Southern Pines National Historic District. It was deemed excess inventory by the Moore County Board of Education in 2019 and after declining to negotiate a bid from a local charter school, is at risk of going to auction for the highest closed-seal bid. We want to ensure that the building continues to be used for its highest and best use, serving the community as well and preseving both the buildings and the neighborhoods.