Former Church Finds New Life as Housing for Elderly

Instead of joining the ranks of , the former home of will live on in a new incarnation.

Friday morning, members of local housing agencies and state departments broke ground on the project to turn the former church into affordable homes for the elderly, called Belleville House. Many involved in the project’s groundbreaking ceremony Friday morning aired their ties to the community. Gerry O’Halloran, a North Kingstown resident since 1984, used to attend ceremonies at the old St. Bernard’s with his family.

“It’s nice that what was once our spiritual home in 1984 is becoming a physical home for others,” said O’Halloran, vice president of Washing County Community Development Corp., which partnered with Church Community Housing Corp. to create the project.

The former church, built in 1874, will be transformed into 20 handicapped-accessible rental homes by May 2012. St. Bernard’s moved from its former location a new building further up Tower Hill Road in 2010, leaving the old building vacant. The restoration and rehabilitation will result in homes for the elderly that will also offer residents services to allow them to remain independent and age at home.

“Housing like this will keep the elderly close to transportation, shopping, medical needs and most importantly family and friends,” said Catherine Taylor, director of the state’s Division of Elderly Affairs.

For Jeanne Cola, executive director of the Rhode Island Local Initiative Support Corporation, the project came a little too late for her family. A North Kingstown native, Cola returned to her hometown to raise her family. Her parents, however, were forced to move out 10 years ago when they decided to downsize and were unable to find any housing options in town.

“If this project had been there then, they might have been able to stay in the community they love,” said Cola.

All apartments will be available to residents 62 years of age or older who qualify with incomes at or below 50 percent of area median incomes. (The income limits are $26,100 for a single person and $29,800 for a two-person household.)

Though phase one only consists of 20 units, phase two looks to install another 20 between the rectory and rear buildings on the property.