September 15, 2006
The Brandywine Health Foundation and its
development team, led by Tammy Cansler, achieved four major
victories in its effort to build the proposed Brandywine
Health & Housing Center. At its September 14th Board
of Directors’ meeting, the Pennsylvania Housing Finance
Agency (PHFA) announced that it has awarded federal low
income housing tax credits as well as Penn Homes grant
funds, amounting to $4.5 million in new financing for the
project. And, the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture awarded the
project $3 million in low-interest, 40 year loan funds,
and agreed to secure an additional $1.5 million in below-market-rate
private loan funds.
According to Frances Sheehan, President and CEO of
the foundation, “PHFA and the USDA recognized the
value of having a permanent home for ChesPenn and Community
Dental, with primary care, pediatric and prenatal services,
and dental care, and the unique way in which we have
co-located those services with 24 units of affordable
senior housing. With these key pieces of financing coming
on the heels of the Coatesville City Council’s
approval of our land development plan on September 11,
we hope to begin construction by late November so that
our tenants, who are eager to move into the expanded
space, are in by January, 2008.”
In addition to the new financing and Coatesville City
Council’s final approval of the project, demolition
has been completed of all of the properties previously
located on the site. Those traveling on East Lincoln
Highway will see a neatly fenced off, flat property on
the 700 block where previously a variety of row houses,
warehouses and an informal parking lot were located.
Sheehan acknowledged the financial support also committed
to date from the Commonwealth’s Department of Community
and Economic Development, the County’s Department
of Community Development, and the Federal Home Loan Bank,
which have provided a combined total of $2.6 million
for the project. The Coatesville Redevelopment Authority
also donated two properties to the project so that there
would be sufficient parking.
Since the building’s anchor tenant ChesPenn’s
opening in temporary headquarters in the 1000 block of
East Lincoln Highway, it has served more than 1,000 patients
with primary care and pediatric services; its prenatal
program opened in August. The building’s second
major tenant, Community Dental, has also seen well over
1,000 patients at its current location at Olive and 11th
Streets. Both agencies are looking forward to moving
into the first floor of the new Brandywine Health & Housing
Center, joined by the Child Guidance Resource Center
and Human Services on the fourth floor.
To keep up to date with the building’s progress,
check back regularly. |
