Judge Approves $14.9M Sale of Newtown’s Chandler Hall

Court Approves $14.9M Sale of Newtown's Chandler Hall Amid Questions About Quaker Mission

NEWTOWN TOWNSHIP, PA — A Bucks County Orphans' Court judge approved the $14.9 million sale of Chandler Hall Health Services to a for-profit buyer on Monday, October 19, after testimony describing persistent financial losses and the possibility of closure without a sale.

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Judge C. Theodore Fritsch Jr. granted the petition involving Citrine Investment Group and entities associated with the 99 Barclay Street senior-care campus. The court accepted commitments to honor existing resident agreements and entrance fees and continue senior-care operations.

Why Chandler Hall Is Being Sold

Chief Financial Officer Christine Landenberger testified that the nonprofit had faced recurring bond defaults, cash-flow problems and substantial repair needs at facilities dating to the early 1970s. An eight-bed hospice closed in 2023 after generating losses, and temporary nursing agency rates reportedly rose from about $45 to $90 per hour after COVID.

After deciding to sell in January 2025, Chandler Hall marketed the campus to more than 1,300 prospective buyers. The effort produced more than 100 expressions of interest and three letters of intent. Citrine's initial $15.6 million offer was reduced to $14.9 million following the identification of additional renovation needs.

SilverWave Life Management, led by CEO Katie Klein-Smith, has been engaged to manage operations following the sale. Chandler Hall attorney Peter Wilson said bondholders would absorb losses on outstanding debt.

YMCA and Community Concerns

Former Newtown Township Supervisor John Mack raised concerns about preserving Chandler Hall's historic Quaker mission and the loss of community amenities. YMCA fitness and childcare operations have been told to leave by December 31.

Landenberger said the YMCA lease required notice of nonrenewal by July 1 and that the space would be repurposed for resident amenities and independent living expansion. She also testified that leadership had not terminated staff and that residents with active agreements would be protected.

Newtown resident Charles Feuer asked the court to place explicit restrictions on the purchaser to protect senior care and prevent commercial redevelopment.

Another Court Decision Still Ahead

Although the sale and operations transfer were approved, the distribution of donor-restricted charitable funds remains for a separate proceeding. Judge Fritsch recused himself from that matter because his wife serves as a vice chair of the board of Pennswood Village, identified as a proposed recipient. Judge McGuffin is expected to hear the future petition.

The judge said the sale order would contain language to protect charitable assets from improper diversion. The hearing summary says he would sign the submitted order; it does not establish that the transaction has closed.

Related: Newtown YMCA's High-Stakes Race for a New Home | Preserving Chandler Hall's Mission

Based on the October 19, 2026 Chandler Hall Sale Court Hearing Summary, Orphans' Court Case No. 2026-E0610.