The owner has been making changes to the historic structure without filing a site plan and requesting a zoning change.
The city of Harrisburg has announced it plans to take legal action against the current owner of the former Bishop McDevitt High School at 2200 Market Street.
According to city solicitor Neil Grover, William Penn Holdings, Inc. did not file a site plan and request a zoning change before making changes to the property. Grover said the city is preparing to file a public nuisance complaint against the company.
William Penn Holdings owner Jeremy Hunter has faced criticism from the surrounding community for painting the brick building’s facade.
Scott Shepler, who lives near the school building, said, “There’s a good number of people concerned about the historic integrity of the building. We understand that it’s broken and that it needs a lot of work, but to paint it is just not a good idea.”
Shepler said Hunter removed landscaping around the building’s foundation, erected landscape fabric, and replaced grass with gravel. He said Hunter started to construct a road on city land bordering the property, which ignores city codes.
Hunter said he is cleaning up and improving the property, which coincides with his use of gravel to create vendor lanes on the school’s football field for a market.
Saturdays on Market will be held at the school this summer. The event will combine a flea market with a farmers market. According to Hunter, vendors will set up on the property for a multi-day market.
Hunter said, “I am just painting a base on the brick, dove gray and cleaning the windows and making it nice so that when people drive by, they know I’m not just focused on the back, I’m focused on the front [of the building].”
Along with the complaints and preparation for legal action by the city, the property is scheduled for a sheriff’s sale on July 17th in Dauphin County. According to court documents, Hunter failed to pay off the debt from two mortgage loans within a 60-day time frame initiated in December of 2024.
Hunter said he plans to satisfy the judgement. He said he already paid off one $500,000 debt in May and plans to pay the additional $1.7 million against a mortgage loan this month.
Hunter originally purchased the former high school from the Diocese of Harrisburg for $300,000. To hold the farmers market, he secured a business license through the city of Harrisburg.
According to Grover, Hunter received warnings and a cease-and-desist letter from the city in March. The letter included several issues with the property that needed to be addressed by Hunter.
The issues included Hunter storing boats on the property, an “illegal skate ramp” that was placed partially on city land, and road work and structures that were encroaching on city property.
Grover said some of the issues were resolved, but “the proprietor has continued on his course of action, undeterred by the legal obligations that are associated with developing such a property in the city.”
Hunter shared a rendering online of the building painted gray with signage for the market painted on the facade. He also plans to add landscaping and create walkways on the football field.
