Catholic Housing and Community Services (CHCS), a ministry of Catholic Social Services of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, is pleased to announce it has been selected as the $10,000 second prize winner of the To the Heights Award issued by the Church Properties Initiative, a project of the University of Notre Dame’s Fitzgerald Institute for Real Estate.
Launched in 2023 in collaboration with inaugural sponsor MDKeller and expanded through the generosity of additional benefactors, the To the Heights Award recognizes individuals, groups, or institutions that demonstrate exceptional creativity, vision, and resourcefulness in repurposing Catholic church properties to serve the common good. Recognized projects have a bold vision, are distinctively Catholic, represent an innovative use of church property, fulfill the highest and best use of the properties in question, and have an eye towards scale and sustainability.
“Our vision is to transform this former friary into a vibrant space that provides a safe, high-quality home for our aging neighbors, nurtures intergenerational programming, and preserves the history of the Archbishop Ryan High School community,” said Mrs. Heather Huot, Secretary for Catholic Human Services of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. “This recognition from the Fitzgerald Institute for Real Estate affirms that Saint Katharine Drexel Place is a model of innovative reuse of church property that maintains the church’s presence and meets the changing needs of the community.”
Saint Katharine Drexel Place will be the eighth of its kind developed by CHCS. Located at 11051 Academy Road in Northeast Philadelphia, the development is adjacent to Archbishop Ryan High School and involves the substantial rehabilitation of the former three-story school friary building as well as the construction of a new three-story addition. Saint Katharine Drexel Place will provide 48 one-bedroom units of service-enriched affordable housing and is being designed by CBP Architects.
Saint Katharine Drexel Place will provide safe and affordable housing for income eligible seniors 62 and older. In addition, the development will be complemented by a rich program of on-site supportive services, which will include case management, health services, and recreational activities. Support services will be provided by CHCS and its partners.
About the Church Properties Initiative
The University of Notre Dame’s Fitzgerald Institute for Real Estate (FIRE) educates and develops ethical future leaders and advances multidisciplinary research and thought leadership on real estate, the world’s largest asset class. Through education and research, and consistent with the University’s Catholic mission, FIRE focuses on innovative, data-driven, and scalable solutions that facilitate wise investment, promote sustainable development, and create places of lasting value. FIRE’s undergraduate minor in real estate is the most popular minor at Notre Dame, enrolling nearly 500 students in the 2024-2025 school year.
A project of FIRE, the Church Properties Initiative (CPI) empowers proactive stewardship of church property through data-informed research and capacity-building in the areas of sustainable development, land use, finance, planning, governance, and more–directing the Church’s assets to serve the needs of a changing world. Learn more at churchproperties.nd.edu .
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Editor’s Note: Catholic Housing and Community Services of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia (CHCS) is recognized as a leading provider of senior living services throughout the Philadelphia region. Dedicated staff are committed to providing the best quality support for seniors and their loved ones through senior programs. Programs include senior housing, senior centers, parish-based elder care programs, elder care helpline, and senior clubs. To learn more about CHCS, please visit chcsphiladelphia.org/.
Attached is a rendering of Saint Katharine Drexel Place for publication purposes with credit to CBP Architects and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
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Contact:
Katie Rogers
Media and Events Specialist for Catholic Human Services
215-587-3747 (office)