St. Peter’s site begins transition from house of worship to senior housing in Pleasantville

Posted on pressofatlanticcity.com:  August 12, 2010

By Christopher Ramirez, Staff Writer

Work has already begun on the Village at St. Peter's senior housing project on the Black Horse Pike in Pleasantville. Photo by: Danny Drake

The life of Anna Tosti is deeply intertwined with St. Peter Catholic Church.

It’s where her parents married and where she was baptized, it and stands across from her childhood home along the Black Horse Pike near Main Street.

Tosti is now watching a rebirth of the land where a church parish was active for more a century until an official merger was completed in May with nearby St. Bernadette’s in Northfield.

Construction is already a few weeks under way in the massive makeover to the property that will result in the Village at St. Peter’s, a senior housing complex spearheaded by the Diocese of Camden for those ages 62 and older.

The approximately $17 million project is utilizing about 14,000 square feet along the road for a six-story building that will include 73 one-bedroom units and a two-bedroom unit for an onsite manager. The foundation of the new building is beginning to emerge on the site of the former convent, besides a bell tower and small grass courtyard that leads to the church and school that will remain standing.

The progress, after years of planning and overcoming financing difficulties related to the economic downturn, is thrilling for Tosti.

“The church is closed, but it’s reopening as this wonderful center for our seniors,” Tosti said.

She has worked for the diocese for 31 years at Our Lady’s Multi-Care Center, which is located a short distance away on Clematis Avenue, and has joined the new effort at her old church as the board president of the Village of St. Peter’s.

A groundbreaking ceremony was held in the grass courtyard Thursday morning and included the presence of Bishop Joseph Galante and officials from the state, county and municipal levels.

“This is a compliment to the neighborhood, the city and our seniors,” Mayor Jesse Tweedle said.

Offering affordable residences is a priority for the dioceses, which already operates six similar complexes with about a total of 1,000 residents in southern New Jersey.

“Affordable housing comes under the mission of the diocese,” said Curtis Johnson, executive director of the Diocesan Housing Services Corporation.

The project is benefiting from $10.5 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which also factors into low rent costs.

Residents will need to pay only about $250 to $300 for a 540-square-foot unit that includes a kitchen, living room, bedroom and walk-in closet.

“We’re not going to put them in a closet,” Johnson said. “We’re going to give them a full service apartment with a kitchen and everything.”

In addition to being 62 or older, prospective resident will need to fill out an application and then be entered into a lottery to be chosen.

However, that process won’t start for some time given that construction isn’t expected to be complete until fall 2011.