Central Junior High School
The auditorium of the abandoned Central Junior High School in Chambersburg, PA
Updated December 10, 2019 | By Matthew Christopher
Originally built in 1910, a new addition to the Chambersburg High School was added in 1930 providing more space and a more stately entrance. The two were connected by a 1958 addition and the name as changed to the Central Junior High School. The school continued operation until 1986 when it was closed; afterwards several tenants including a theater group and a karate class operated sporadically in the building, but it was mostly vacant and used by its owner to store items he had salvaged mostly from hotels that had closed.
The property was purchased by McKissick Properties, headed by architect Vern McKissick, who has spearheaded multiple other successful redevelopment projects. McKissick's plans to demolish the 1958 addition and turn the remaining sections into loft apartments was given the green light in 2016 and work is currently in progress to restore it. It will be a boon for downtown Chambersburg, and I am excited to see this beautiful building returned to use.
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