Catholic Senior Living Facility Proposed in Limerick

The Limerick Township Board of Supervisors heard a proposal for a 200-unit senior living facility on Neiffer Road, adjacent to Blessed Teresa of Calcutta complex, which will be marketed towards Catholics.

In what attorney William Kerr, Jr., called the “first step” of the development process, he addressed the board with plans for the 15-acre parcel located at 271 Neiffer Road, which is his clients, Hartman Communitites, have under agreement of sale.

“I happen to be catholic, and I always had the question ‘why are people doing these facilities for various other faiths not doing them for Catholics?’” said Kerr.

The proposed facility, which will share a driveway with the church and will be surrounded by trees to provide a barrier to the residential units on Neiffer Road, will be comprised of three, three-story units—one for independent living, one for assisted living, and one for memory care— and will be “architecturally consistent” with Blessed Teresa of Calcutta buildings, according to architect Jack Perry.

Perry said the development company's business model for the senior living complexes, of which they have several throughout the country, is designed for “moderate-income senior citizens with no entry fee, and we keep the monthly rate as tight as possible.”

The proposed facility will offer rent and food for a monthly fee from around $1,500 to $2,000, and activities can be added to the payment.

Kerr said that Hartman Communities create what some could call an “anti-nursing home,” as it does not provide nursing care; Perry said that the emphasis is to keep the residents healthy be keeping them active.

Rev. Paul Brandt, pastor of Blessed Theresa of Calcutta, attended the meeting to express parish’s support of the development.

“A lot of these senior citizens have found a second home in their parish community,” said Brandt, adding that as they age and are unable to live in their own homes, this will make it easier for them to make the transition to a facility so closely connected with church.

Brandt also said that this project will also help the young families of the parish who want their older parents to live close to them in a Catholic community.

All three of the presenters spoke of the benefits that the church connection will provide to residents.

“That driveway is adjacent to our baseball fields; they can walk down and watch kids play baseball,” said Brandt.  “In our childcare center, we have 16 infants in cribs that need to be rocked every day - nothing is going to make them healthier and live longer than doing something like that."

The proposed project will also be beneficial for the Blessed Teresa of Calcutta and Pope John Paul II students for service projects, performances, and building relationships with seniors in the community, according to Brandt.

“It creates a wonderful magnet for the Limerick area to be able to have something so powerful and so dynamic in our local community,” said Brandt.

There is also a financial incentive for the township, according to Kerr - while the development will have a religious affiliation, it will still be for-profit and taxable.  Additionally, some of the profit will be returned to the parish.

Perry acknowledged, based on prior meetings with township staff, that there are potential zoning and sewer issues with the property.

“We want to see what they are to address them and see if they are insurmountable,” Perry said.

The board of supervisors did not bring up any issues, and were supportive of the project.  Supervisors Kenneth Sperring and Thomas Neafcy noted that senior living does not cause a large increase in traffic, or a burden to the Spring-Ford Area School District. 

Stay tuned to Patch for more on this development.