Weinstein ‘seriously interested’ in bidding on GHS, Fulton properties

A Northwest Philadelphia developer is “seriously interested” in buying a pair of properties that, until last summer, housed Germantown High School and Robert Fulton Elementary School.

Mt. Airy resident Ken Weinstein will be on hand May 22 when the School District of Philadelphia opens the shuttered schools to potential bidders.

GHS and Fulton are two of 20 buildings that the district — with the help of the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC) — put on the auction block this week as it stares down another financial crisis.

“If we can find a way to make it work, we’re going to bid on it,” Weinstein told NewsWorks.

The listing price for Germantown is currently $3.3 million, and $1.25 million for Fulton, according to PIDC’s website.

Ongoing grassroots efforts in Germantown

News of the buildings going up for sale comes as a grassroots group continues working towards bringing a new educational endeavor to the GHS building, one of 24 schools that closed in June.

Since December, the Germantown High School Task Force has worked towards breathing new life into the 99-year-old institution.

It remains unclear exactly what form the new public school would take.

Discussions at previous task-force meetings have centered on bringing a voc-tech school to the hulking, four-story site. Providing a traditional K-12 curriculum has also been floated.

Thursday gathering

During a Thursday morning meeting at an eatery within eyeshot of GHS, members decided they would attend both open houses to spread the word about their efforts — to developers and the community.

“The more people hear about us, the more we exist,” said Julie Stapleton-Carroll, who heads the task force.

Weinstein said he has spoken with Stapleton-Carroll and is interested in a partnership.

Either way, the volunteer group must continue to search for funding. It’s hoping to attract a mix of foundation and corporate dollars.

Right now, Comcast Corp. — which was founded by GHS grad Ralph Roberts — is the task force’s biggest donor target.

PIDC is scheduled to make recommendations for sales to the district starting June 9, though offers will be accepted until all properties have sold.