Temple U. Buys Shuttered High School Building on North Broad Street
By Mike DeNardo
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The School District of Philadelphia is selling the William Penn High School building to Temple University.
Temple is buying the William Penn building, at Broad and Master in North Philadelphia, for $15 million.
The school closed down in 2009 in what the district at the time called a "temporary" move.
Pennsylvania state representative Curtis Thomas last night lobbied the School Reform Commission to reopen the school.
"Do not get rid of the name William Penn," he said. "Do not destroy the history that sits on North Broad Street."
But the School Reform Commission voted 4-1 to sell building, with commissioner Sylvia Simms casting the only "no" vote.
Temple plans to build a training academy, with the Laborers' District Council Education and Training/Apprenticeship Fund on the site.
The university also is converting part of the property into soccer and lacrosse fields for Temple students.