More than $3 million presented to convert Buechel parochial school to senior housing

The St. Bartholomew school will soon be a place seniors can call home.

The Buechel church, Catholic Charities, the Housing Partnership and U.S. Rep. John Yarmuth, D.-3rd District, on Tuesday announced more than $3 million in funding to convert the school building into low-cost housing for senior citizens.

St. Bartholomew will join six other buildings in the diocese that have been restored and turned into housing, including St. Cecilia in Portland, which was renovated in 2008 and St. Denis in Shively earlier this year.

David Ritchay, Housing Partnership director of housing production, said construction will begin next year and will be completed by 2012.

“We are going to convert the school into 24 one-bedroom units for seniors age 62 or older,” Ritchay said. He said income restrictions require that a resident’s total income be half of the area median.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Section 202 Program will provide 85 percent of the capital for the project with the remaining 15 percent to be raised through tax credits Ritchay said.

Housing Partnership President Mike Hynes said the building will be sold to a yet to be formed joint-venture between Catholic Charities and Housing Partnerships. Hynes said among the improvements, plans are to make the building more energy efficient.

“The need for affordable housing in this area is dire,” Hynes said.

Rep John Yarmuth said his office helped move the grant applications through the process so the parish would get the necessary funds.

“I am thrilled that federal dollars will soon support this latest project, providing critically needed affordable housing options for Louisville seniors as well as spurring economic development and creating jobs,” he said.

Yarmuth said because the school building has open areas and large rooms, it makes a great candidate for renovation.

Tom Gurucharri, director of the Catholic Pastoral Center that currently occupies the building, said there will be no lapse in the services the center provides the local Hispanic community including English as a Second Language and Early Childhood Development Programs.

“We anticipate having something up by this time next year, the idea is to have continuity,” he said.

Gurucharri said the parish’s capital campaign drive will be the primary source of funding for a multifunctional community center to replace St. Bartholomew.

“We definitely plan on keeping everything going and adding programs if possible,” he said. “There is a potential to serve the community even more.”

Reporter Wesley Robinson can be reached at (502) 582-4336.