PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A 1973 deed restriction might stand in the way of the School District of Philadelphia’s plan to shut down Lankenau High School.
Under the district’s facilities proposal, Lankenau Environmental Science Magnet High School — located on a wooded plot in upper Roxborough — would be closed and the property either sold or conveyed to the city for Mayor Cherelle Parker’s housing initiative.
However, the neighboring Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education said a 1973 deed selling the land to the then-private Lankenau School for Girls gives the center the first option to buy it should it cease to be used for a school.
“We wanted the district to know that (a) we don’t think Lankenau should be closed and (b) if the district has plans for the property, that the Schuylkill Center has the right of first refusal,” said Erin Mooney, executive director of the Schuylkill Center.
According to Mooney, the center sent a letter on Monday alerting the District to the deed restriction. “The district responded and wanted to see the property documents and we’ve sent them on to the School District,” she said.
Mooney said current Lankenau students use the Schuylkill Center for birdwatching and nature education.
“We have the largest privately held plot of natural land in Philadelphia. We don’t want to see that land be developed. We don’t want to see it be used for anything other than education,” she said.
The district said it is reviewing the letter from the Schuylkill Center. Superintendent Tony Watlington presents his recommendations to the School Board on Thursday.