Moses Corrette
Partners for Sacred Places
April 1999

Adaptive Reuse: Residential Facilities

Property: (Organization) Jubilee Baltimore, Inc.
Location: Baltimore, MD
Project : 1) Convent to Housing, 2) Parsonages to Housing, 3) Church Hall to elderly Housing
Completion: 1990 - 1991

Contact:
Jubilee Baltimore, Inc.
2000 East Lombard Street
Baltimore, MD 21231
(301) 327-7373

NOTES: 1) in 1990, Jubilee Baltimore completed fourteen new units of housing all of which were vacant buildings before.  Their efforts are being recognized by outside organizations, and they are working with and consulting for several churches in Baltimore and Philadelphia.  2) Most of the Protestant churches in Southeast Baltimore have nearby parsonages, but most pastors have moved to the suburbs, leaving empty buildings.  Dave Casey of Jubilee Baltimore has been working to convert the parsonages into low income housing.  The churches benefit, being small with tight budgets, and the rental income is a real help.  3) Southeast Baltimore Seniors have problems with housing.  Affordable row housing has stairs that can be difficult to negotiate, and accessible housing is cost prohibitive.  Jubilee Baltimore made 4 elderly housing units in the convent, and 16 elderly apartments in the former church hall of Messiah Lutheran Church in Canton.  They have also formed the Southeast Senior Housing Initiative, with area churches and hospitals, and non profit housing organizations.

Property: The Cloisters
Location: Philadelphia
Project: Church, school and parsonage to housing
Completion: 1990

NOTES: The Cloisters development converted a large complex of church buildings into a secure garden community.  The 45,000 square foot school was transformed into 51 units between 450 and 1,265 square feet; the mansion annex, 14 units 540 to 1,636 sq. ft.; and the church with another 51 units 500 to 1,500 sq. ft.  There are also communal gardens, health center, on site parking, and 24 hour security.


Property: Tarrytown Methodist Church and Church of St. John and Mary Rectory
Location: North Tarrytown, New York
Project: Church to affordable housing; rectory to group home for the elderly.
Completion: 1993

Contact:
Affordable River Communities Housing; AHOME (Joan Arnold)

NOTES: Affordable River Communities Housing purchased the small church and transformed the building into six affordable housing units with designs by Martin Kravitt Architects.  The rectory project was undertaken by AHOME, a coalition of 23 religious and community groups, and made a 13 room group home.