A historic high school in West Philadelphia will be converted into an apartment building, according to multiple reports. It was announced on Friday that a Brooklyn-based developer, Heights Advisors, had acquired $24 million to redevelop the four-story West Philadelphia High School into 268 apartment units.
Located on 4700 Walnut Street, the late Gothic revival high school was built in 1912 and shuttered in 2011. Students moved to another, newer building a few blocks away, while the former school, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, sat abandoned for years.
The construction loan was a long time coming, since this will be the developers' first project in Philadelphia.
According to the Height Advisors website, the rehabilitation project on the 442,200-square-foot building won't begin until 2017.
· Brooklyn firm to develop former West Philly High building as apartments[PI]