According to Mayor Craig Wilkie, MEND (Moorestown Ecumenical Neighborhood Development) was successful in getting approval for senior housing in the old school.
By Amy Batista, Special Writer
FLORENCE The Township Council has announced that the former Marcella L. Duffy School on West Second Street will be converted into senior housing.
”A number of years ago when the school district turned the property over to the town, we identified it as a COAH obligation for our senior housing, and we made a partnership with MEND last year,” Mayor Craig Wilkie said.
According to Mayor Wilkie, MEND (Moorestown Ecumenical Neighborhood Development) was successful in getting approval for senior housing in the old school.
By the spring of 2015, MEND will fully convert the Duffy school into a 53-unit development for affordable senior living and recently were awarded tax credits for the project by the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency. Work will begin in the spring of 2014.
As part of the overall conversion, MEND will add a three-story housing addition to complement the site. The building and addition will be ready for occupancy by mid- to late spring 2015, according to the township website.
”We are going to renovate that building, and in the parking lot area, known as the basketball area, an additional 18 apartments will go in there,” Mayor Wilkie said.
The overall purchase for the land and property was $175,000 and came out of the COAH fund, thus, was not a burden on taxpayers.
”That funding is going to take place,” said Township Administrator Richard Brook. “It has been awarded by the state.”
According to Mr. Brook, construction will begin in early spring, possibly in February, but more likely March.
He said the alley behind the site will become one way, “which is a plus.”
Mayor Wilkie is hoping this renovation will boost business in the area for local merchants.
”For the businesses that are there, they are not in the best economic times . . so my hope is that Rocco’s and the other businesses there on Front Street as well as some of the businesses on Broad Street will benefit because people are so close,” Mayor Wilkie said, adding the bus line is 200 feet away.
He said, “It’s very nice for this community. A lot of good things. Congratulations, guys, we’ve done a lot in the last two years.”