Classic Properties’ Farrell brokers 100-acre campus sale

Clarks Summit University Campus sells for $15.75M

SOUTH ABINGTON TOWNSHIP, PA — Steven Farrell, owner and broker of Classic Properties, announced the previously completed closing of the former Clarks Summit University campus located at 538 Venard Rd. in South Abington Twp. The transaction, which closed in December 2025, totaled $15.75 million. Farrell represented both the buyer and the seller in the deal.

The 100-acre institutional campus includes roughly 315,000 s/f of academic, residential, and athletic facilities across multiple interconnected buildings. Originally established in 1919 and expanded through several development phases over the past century, the property served as Clarks Summit University until its closure in 2024. The campus has long been a recognizable institutional asset within Lackawanna County and continues to draw attention for its scale and long-term redevelopment potential.

The property attracted significant interest from a range of buyers due to its existing infrastructure, large acreage, and flexible zoning characteristics that allow for continued institutional use or adaptive reuse. According to public information, the buyer intends to reposition the campus as a religious education and retreat-style facility, maintaining dormitory housing and campus-based programming similar to its historic use as a university.

“This was a highly unique institutional transaction with a great deal of complexity due to the size, history, and future use considerations of the property,” said Farrell. “We are pleased to have brought both parties together to achieve a successful closing.”

The transaction represents one of the more notable institutional property sales in Northeastern Pennsylvania in 2025, both in scale and value.

Farrell represented both parties in the transaction.