An old school north of Lawrence has found new life as an office building.

“Who else in Kansas can say their office is in a former school?” said Doug Compton, president of First Management Inc., which has made its headquarters in the former Riverside School, 601 N. Iowa, which closed two years ago.

The school’s name remains on the pale brick of the building’s exterior. The gymnasium and stage remain inside. And the break room contains echoes of the school kitchen it used to be.

Michael Butell, the company’s human resources and insurance manager, works in what was once the principal’s office.

“I never went to the principal’s office as a child,” Butell said. “Now I guess I’m in one – but it wasn’t my choice.”

Though the existing building was built in 1955, Riverside’s history dates back to the mid-1800s. And many Lawrence residents have a soft spot in their hearts for the beloved school.

“It was home,” said Sherry Tamerius, who taught at the school from 1988 until its close in 2003. “We were like family.”

Compton, a Lawrence developer, said he had worked to preserve some of the school’s historic elements while updating the building for its new use.

Several stone markers found on the site have been installed near the entrance. They commemorate the years in which new buildings housing the school opened on the site: 1866. 1903. 1955.

“I think there’s a lot more history there than maybe I originally knew about or anticipated when I bought it,” Compton said.

Doug Compton, owner of First Management Inc., has moved his company headquarters into the old Riverside School, 601 N. Iowa. With new landscaping and a renovated exterior and interior, Compton is glad he could mix the old with the new.

Modern touches include the new entryway with chocolate-stained concrete floors, fresh flowers and a sleek chandelier.

“It’s a pleasant atmosphere,” Compton said.

Compton’s spacious office is in what was once classroom space. He’s added a fireplace.

“Since we do this for a living, we know how to take the time and do it right,” he said.

Renovations and additions took about a year, but the company is still working on the finishing touches. Compton plans to host an open house.

And old school friends, like Tamerius, might drop in.

The main entrance of the former Riverside School is now the foyer of the First Management Inc. headquarters. Doug Compton, company president, chatted on the phone on Friday.

The former teacher recalled how the school used to combine students in multiple grades into one class. Parents liked that because a student could have the same teacher three years in a row.

“People would move to that neighborhood just so their children could come to Riverside,” she said.

Tamerius said she was glad to hear that the building’s new owners have kept some of its original features.

But when she drives by she can’t help but see how different it looks. A building stands where the playground once was. The landscaping is different, and so is the parking lot entrance.

“I have to look hard at it,” Tamerius said. “It’s kind of a strange feeling when you see it.”