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After Living Ten Years In New York, Stacie And Sean Return To Franklin, Buy An Old Decommissioned School, And Transform It Into A Family Home, Preserving History, Facing Complex Renovations, And Sharing The Whole Process Online
A couple from Franklin, Indiana, decided to return to their hometown after a decade away and transformed an old abandoned school into a family residence, documenting every step of the renovation and their return with their two small children.
Stacie and Sean grew up in Franklin, Indiana, and moved to New York in 2012, where they lived for 10 years before deciding to return permanently to their hometown.
The decision gained traction during the pandemic, when Sean was working in hospitals in the Bronx, facing an intense period that coincided with the birth of their first child.
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Stacie told PEOPLE magazine that the desire to return arose from thinking about raising their child close to family and in a familiar environment.
As they discussed the move, an old school building came on the market, a place they both remembered seeing during childhood drives.
The school had been decommissioned for decades and sparked curiosity since childhood, when Stacie and Sean wondered who could live there.
At the time of the negotiation, the couple still lived on the East Coast and relied on Stacie’s parents to visit the property.
They made the offer without visiting the school in person, trusting the assessment made by her parents during a detailed guided tour.
Stacie expected resistance but was told by her father that the project seemed feasible, which gave her the confidence to proceed with the purchase.
She explains that, despite its age and the extensive renovations required, the building structure always appeared solid and well-preserved.
The brick construction caught the attention of contractors, who highlighted the robustness of the foundation and the building’s original masonry.
According to Stacie, the structural integrity was a determining factor, as the building maintained stability despite decades of non-school use.
Preserved History And Complete Renovation Of The Abandoned School
The school ceased operations in the 1930s and was bought by a family in the 1950s, responsible for preservation efforts.
When the couple arrived in Indiana, they realized the project would require demolishing the interior down to the structure to build a new home.
Stacie stated that they were both looking for an old and quirky house, although they never imagined it would be so old and so quirky.
The involvement of the parents was essential during the construction, as they had experience in building, unlike the couple.
This support helped them face surprises throughout the process, which turned out to be a larger undertaking than expected.
The sale was finalized in August 2021, but the permanent move only took place in September 2024.
Transformation Of The Abandoned School: Documentation On Social Media
Throughout the period, Stacie and Sean documented the transformation on YouTube, TikTok, and other platforms, initially for fun.
With previous experience of a decade in content creation, Stacie was not surprised by the possibility of online growth.
Still, she says that the response exceeded expectations and showed the public’s interest in stories of unusual renovations.
She noted that there are similar projects involving churches, banks, and libraries, but considers the conversion of a school to be special.
For Stacie, the process was surprisingly fun, despite the continuous workload required to maintain the house.
She points out that the to-do list remains extensive and that small projects occupy the family’s evenings.
The Kitchen Of The Abandoned School As The Biggest Challenge
The biggest project was the kitchen, created from an old classroom, which is central to the family’s routine.
Stacie explains that the school was built in 1914, in a secluded area, without a cafeteria, gym, or indoor restrooms.
When they bought the property, the room was divided with drywall and had structural risks, making it difficult to even walk on the floor.
It was necessary to redo the floor joists and completely reconstruct the space, making the renovation technically complex.
The couple built their own kitchen, including cabinets, which brought satisfaction to see the transformation of the most used space.
She states that witnessing this change was extremely rewarding, as they spend most of their time together there.
Family Life And New Bonds
With the move completed, Stacie and Sean began to envision the future with their 2 and 3-year-old children in the renovated abandoned school.
Stacie emphasizes that working with her father strengthened their relationship, allowing her to learn skills she previously undervalued.
She says she has come to appreciate her parents’ experience and regrets not having taken more advantage of that time together before.
The couple also connects with the building’s history, visiting local museums and hearing stories from residents about the school.
For them, living in a historic space reinforces the value of preserving memories and sharing these stories with their children.
Now settled in, they plan to finish the basement, which received new concrete and will house a skating rink and indoor playground.
The community is following the project with interest, sending old school objects and strengthening bonds as the story continues to unfold, definitely integrated into family life and the future they are beginning to imagine together.
With information from People.
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