Old orphanage will be home for others

By SHERRY LONG

slong@timesleader.com

NEWPORT TWP. – Children may once again roam the hallways of the St. Stanislaus Institute. But now it will be know as the St. Stanislaus Apartments.

The institute, which opened its first building in 1918 on Old Newport Street in Sheatown to serve the Polish community as an orphanage, is getting a rebirth.

Catholic Social Services of Wyoming Valley plans to revitalize the three-story, former boys and girls buildings into one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments for families and elderly with an anticipated opening date of 2010. Both buildings will have an elevator and four of the 30 units will be handicapped accessible.

Joseph Karpinski, an orphan who grew up at St. Stanislaus, thinks this is a great way to honor the nuns and children who called the orphanage home throughout its 50-plus year history.

“I think it would keep the legacy alive for all they did through the years. I think it is the best approach, because I don’t know what else you could do with the buildings,” Karpinski said.

The $7.9 million construction cost will be funded using tax credits, government agency loans, state economic development grants and national historic tax credits, Catholic Social Services Director Tom Cherry said.

Luzerne County Commissioners approved a $480,000 grant in December to help renovate the 48,130-square-foot building, which is adjacent Holy Child Church.

Receiving money from the county is contingent on several other factors, including other funding and obtaining zoning approval from the Luzerne County Planning Commission, said Luzerne County Office of Community Development Executive Director Andy Reilly.

PNC Bank will also invest in the property, said Graysha Harris, a housing development consultant for Catholic Social Services.

Renovations could begin later this year if Newport Township Board of Commissioners and the county’s planning board approve the project and all financial funding is secured by May.

Those interested in leasing an apartment must meet income guidelines to qualify for residency, Harris said.

Those guidelines have not yet been disclosed. Tenants must sign a one-year lease; monthly rents will range from $400 to $600.

Catholic Social Services is seeking to get the buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

If approved by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, the request will be forwarded to the National Park Service, which oversees historical sites across the nation.

Harris said it’s only natural to apply for historic status, due to the facility’s architectural significance and because the institute operated as an orphanage.

“Preserving a building’s architectural integrity always costs a little more, but it’s worth the price, for the outcome preserves the building’s and the community’s history,” she said.

Pittsburgh-based National Development Corp., with a regional office in Scranton, will serve as the property’s management and will handle daily operating functions.

It manages four other properties in the county, including the St. John Apartments on North Main Street, Wilkes-Barre, and St. Vincent Apartments on Church Street, Plymouth.

Info on the development

Two buildings, the former girls and boys buildings at St. Stanislaus Institute, will be converted into a 30-unit apartment complex named St. Stanislaus Apartments.

Location: Old Newport Street in Newport Township

There will be 12 one-bedroom apartments, 10 two-bedroom apartments and eight three-bedroom apartments.

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Sherry Long, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 829-7159.