Temple seeks to buy William Penn High School

TEMPLE UNIVERSITY sent a letter to Philadelphia School District officials last month expressing interest in buying the shuttered William Penn High School in North Philadelphia, officials confirmed last night.

"Yes, we can confirm we received a letter from Temple in early October," district spokesman Fernando Gallard said. The letter was first reported in the student newspaper, the Temple News.

The next steps in the process for Temple or any other party interested in an empty school property will be unveiled today by school officials, Gallard said. The public process will be explained on the school district's website, which also will feature the 30 properties available, he said.

Temple spokesman Ray Betzner said the university has no specific plan for the 5-acre property on Broad Street near Master. The school, designed by Philadelphia architect Romaldo Giurgola, opened in 1973 and closed in 2010.

Temple officials are developing a master plan expected to be ready early next year, Betzner said. "We have no specific ideas what the property is for, and the master plan would guide that," he said.

Mayor Nutter last week signed a bill that advanced $60 million to the cash-strapped district, and in return the district agreed to turn over proceeds from school-property sales. The goal is to pay back $61 million by next June.

The Office of Property Assessment listed William Penn's market value at $32 million, although it's unclear what price the building would sell for.

Meanwhile, North Philadelphia developer Bart Blatstein last night shot down rumors that he was interested in buying William Penn.

"I'm excited about the prospect of Temple purchasing that property," Blatstein said. "It shows great confidence in the rebuilding of North Philadelphia."

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