Senior housing planned for site of former Catholic school
Published: February 26, 2011
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Catholic Social Services wants to replace a former parish school in Jessup with a new apartment building for senior citizens.
The group is proposing to tear down the former St. Michael's School and build in its footprint a three-story senior housing facility with 34 one-bedroom apartments. The building would contain apartments on its first two floors, while the third floor, with its views of the mountains, would provide community space.
"Senior housing is a big need, and especially up in the valley areas," said Steve Nocilla, director of housing and residential services for Catholic Social Services. "There's not a lot up there."
Queen of Angels Parish owns the property, which Mr. Nocilla said Catholic Social Services would buy at fair-market value and then dismantle. The parish deferred comment to Mr. Nocilla.
As the father of a former St. Michael's student, Mr. Nocilla is familiar with the school building, which dates to the early 1900s. It served its purpose well and was well-maintained, he said, but it also "has seen better days."
"It's charming, but it's I think it's outlived its usefulness as that structure anyway," Mr. Nocilla said.
Keeping the school also would have limited the amount of apartments Catholic Social Services could offer to about 12, Mr. Nocilla said. The new building will be slightly larger than the school.
Before plans can progress, however, Jessup must hold a zoning hearing to consider a special exception for the apartment building, which zoning board solicitor Kim Giombetti said is a requirement for multi-family housing in a residential zone. The hearing will be Tuesday, March 15, at 7 p.m. in the Borough Building on Lane Street.
Mr. Nocilla has received mostly positive feedback from the community so far, and he thinks everyone agrees senior housing is a necessity.
"I'm sure there always might be someone that might have an issue," he said. "I think if people examine all of it ... they'll come out with the final conclusion that it's a good thing for the area."
Catholic Social Services would pay for the approximately $5 million project with the help of the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency. If the project receives the zoning exception and other factors align, work could begin in the late fall or early winter and take about a year to complete, Mr. Nocilla estimated.
Contact the writer: cheaney@timesshamrock.com
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