Century-Old NJ Monastery To Be Demolished For Parking Lot

CAMDEN, NJ — A century-old Catholic monastery in Camden is being demolished to make room for a parking lot for a nearby hospital, officials said.

The historic structure on Haddon Avenue known as the Dominican Monastery of the Holy Rosary will be torn down as part of a larger renovation project at nearby Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, a spokesperson told Patch. The renovations include new patient and operating rooms, as well as a new lobby.

The monastery served as a home for nuns before it closed in 2013 after 113 years of service, the Diocese of Camden reported.

Removal of several vacant buildings, including the monastery, started earlier this month and is expected to take several months, according to Daniel Moise, director of communications at Virtua Health.

"These structures, including a former monastery, have been uninhabited since 2014 and present extensive health and safety concerns," Moise said. "They are in severe disrepair, unsafe and not feasible to salvage."

Moise said numerous items have been saved from the monastery and donated to the Diocese of Camden for preservation. Virtua is also reserving stone from the building that will be incorporated into the hospital after renovation is complete.

Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital hosted a ceremony in April to honor the legacy of the site, Moise said. Neighbors living near the property have also received regular updates about the construction work, he said.