SALEM — The city's last parochial school, which closed four weeks ago, has already attracted interest of several brokers.

Three to five parties are eyeing the St. Joseph School building on Federal Street, according to the Rev. John Sheridan, pastor of St. James Parish, which is next door to the school.

"We're working with the archdiocese and different brokers who are interested," Sheridan said yesterday. "Some are more serious than others."

In December, church officials announced plans to close the school due to low enrollment and mounting debt. In the McIntire Historic District, the building is nearly 27,000 square feet and is assessed at $7.3 million, according to the city assessor's office.

"I'd like to see us move on this," Sheridan said. "I want to see the building stay in use, not sit there, an empty shell."

A team of St. James parishioners — including deacon Norman LaPointe, religious education administrator Diane Santos, and members of the parish finance and facilities councils — are working with Sheridan and Dennis Donovan at the Boston Archdiocese real estate office.

"Will it be leased or sold? It remains to be seen what will happen," Sheridan said.

If the building were sold or leased, part of the profit would go to pay down the school's debt to the Archdiocese of Boston, which is close to $500,000, according to Sheridan. The remaining proceeds would benefit the parish.

"We're under the auspices of the archdiocese, and we work in collaboration," Sheridan said.

The red-brick building was built around 1908 and originally housed St. James School. After it closed, the church leased the building to the Salem Public Schools to house the former Federal Street School.

In 2004, the archdiocese closed St. Joseph Parish on Lafayette Street, and the parish's school moved across town to Federal Street.

St. Joseph School had 158 students from pre-kindergarten to eighth grade when it was shuttered last month. Sheridan said other local Catholic schools have come to take the furniture, textbooks and other items, so the building is about two-thirds cleaned out at this point.

Sheridan said he has now contacted the Swampscott and Salem schools, inviting them to comb through the school's remaining contents.

"We'll be doing it this week," Sheridan said. "We'll be walking through the school, and for a donation they can take what they'd like."

Earlier this year, parents fought the closure of St. Joseph School and rallied to raise funds but were not successful. Many teachers and staff had worked there for decades.

The school held a poignant closing ceremony on June 19, to which hundreds of community members turned out.

"We're still walking through our grief," said Sheridan, who plans to visit the former St. Joseph students at their new schools in the fall. "The community has been wonderful and very supportive. I'm just so grateful to everyone who has helped us through these extraordinary days."

As for the future of the school building, Sheridan said there is no time line.

"Nothing is set in stone," he said. "The conversation has just begun."