Scott A. Young Auctioneer is holding the public sale at 10 a.m. behind the school building at 1150 Louisa St.

Because he anticipates great interest, he has asked those attending to please watch for auction signs at the corner of Sixth Avenue and High Street on the day of the sale. He noted there is parking available.

The list of items in the sale include many “school supplies,” such as gymnasium equipment, chairs, tables, etc. along with hundreds of items not listed in the preview of the sale.

The list is long and diverse.

It includes a 2009 Colorado truck; an express van, a walk-in cooler, stainless steel sinks, grease extractor system, dishwashing racks, dish table sections, playground equipment, steel commercial garbage disposal, youth and child size school chairs, 50-plus classroom tables, library tables, adjustable tables, carts, scaffolding, musical instruments, air compressor, marble top table and vacuum, projector and screens, file cabinets, tumble mats, basketball backboard and hoop, art easels, supplies, swivel office chairs, an industrial fan, American flag, music stands, school memorabilia and more.

Demolition inside was occurring this week, as the former ornate school structure is in the process of being converted into multi-family dwellings and office space by a city-based developer.

Last fall, City Council approved conditional-use for Moonrise Acquisitions LLC, whose owner is George Hutchinson of Rose Street. The plan showed the existing structure will be converted in a first phase consisting of 28 to 32 units with a maximum desired plan of 55 units and about 4,000 square feet of office space.

The conversion of the former school building will put the property on the tax rolls and provide residential living for those who want to call the city their home.

Hutchinson told city officials he also planned to move operations of LGN from Rose Street to the first floor of the new development, which is how the 4,000 square feet of office space would apply.

At the announcement of the school’s conversion, Council Vice President Eric Beiter noted how it will be nice to see this building occupied as the city continues to deal with the housing shortage.

He also encouraged the design to eventually include a secondary access because, he said, it was a bit hard to negotiate the corner at the top of Rural Avenue.

The building has remained idle since it closed June 30, 2022.

A feasibility study determined renovating it would have cost the Williamsport Area School District more than $20 million, and if razed and rebuilt the price was higher – closer to $26 million. That was prices given at the time, with inflation likely to have driven costs up further.

From a historical perspective, the nearly century-old school – as are other buildings in the commonwealth and nation – was named after the American politician and lawyer who served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania in the 1860s, and who was a fierce opponent of slavery and discrimination against Black Americans.

A defender of the state system of education, Stevens argued education saves money and once said that opponents were seeking to separate the poor into a lower caste than themselves and accused the rich of greed and failure to empathize with the poor.

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