The roof leaks. Plaster is falling. Hardwood floors have buckled. And there's no heat. By all accounts, the old South Hills High School on Mount Washington has really let itself go since it closed its doors to students in 1985.

"It's a real big blighting influence in that neighborhood right now," city Councilman Alan Hertzberg said.

But now, a Mount Washington development group, the city's Urban Redevelopment Authority and Pittsburgh Public Schools are teaming up to breathe new life into the not-so-grand old dame.

The URA board approved an agreement with the city school board last week that will enable the city agency to market the property, offer options to developers and negotiate a sale that would lead to the building's reuse.

"We'd like to see it returned to the tax rolls. I think the whole city would be in agreement with that," city schools spokeswoman Pat Crawford said.

To that end, the Mount Washington Community Development Corp. has been in discussion with at least one developer that has shown interest in reusing the building, which opened in 1906. The community group would like to see a mix of commercial and residential housing at the site, mainly targeted to senior citizens.

It is working with its former executive director, Susan Brandt, to recruit a developer to transform the building. Brandt said that unless local officials can find another use for the building, it will be demolished.

"This building is dead," she said. "It's got to have something happen to it."

If the URA and community development group have one thing going for them in their efforts it is that the school board designated the high school a Keystone Opportunity Zone, which provides tax advantages to owners and occupants.

That could be helpful in recruiting a developer to undertake the project, whose cost could reach close to $30 million, said Brandt, project director. About $21 million would be needed for construction and another $9 million to remove asbestos and lead.

Hertzberg said the agreement allowing the URA to market the building and negotiate a sale "gives us the best chance to do something" with the structure. He said the location is good because it is close to the South Hills Light Rail Transit line.

Brandt said the school district would demolish the building if no reuse was found for it fairly soon. Richard Fellers, chief of operations for the district, called demolition a "last resort," but added it was an option the longer the building remained unsold.

"We're very hopeful this latest strategy will work out," he said.

Any sales agreement negotiated by the URA would have to be approved by its board and the city school board.