| Property Name: | Former William Penn High School |
| Address: | N. Third and Division Streets |
| Owners: | Harrisburg School District |
| Priority Since: | 2017 |
| Status: | Vacant since at least 2015, 2026 represents William Penn’s 100th anniversary as a landmark in the community. Designed competitively by noted Harrisburg architect Charles Howard Lloyd, the handsome building in an architecturally significant part of the city has avoided the wrecking ball but it continues to deteriorate. Absent viable proposals for reuse, demolition remains on the table following a November 2025 school board meeting. The building’s fate remains under review as its slips further away without a collaborative vision beyond the often cash-strapped school district. |
Former William Penn High School was opened in 1926 as the mate to John Harris High School at the city’s northern and eastern ends respectively. This major Harrisburg landmark, designed by Harrisburg architect Charles Howard Lloyd, has been on the market since 2015 after it was vacated by the Harrisburg School District. Beautifully situated overlooking Italian Lake (developed in sync with the construction of the high school) and at a key uptown location adjacent to the Academy Manor and Riverside neighborhoods and the Zembo Shrine Center across Division Street, the complex may hold great potential for an adaptive reuse project particularly when considering the spacious grounds that could be dedicated to recreational purposes.