Politics & Government

Abington Code Enforcement Committee OKs Sisters' Apartments

The Medical Mission Sisters are looking to add several apartments to its Pine Road property

 

The Abington Code Enforcement and Land Development Committee approved the final land development application of Medical Mission Sisters for the construction of 61 new apartment units on its property at 8400 Pine Road. The apartments would be built as an addition to the organization’s existing administration building.

The 59,400 square-foot, 4-story building would serve as housing for retired Catholic sisters as well as elderly low-income residents — the split would be about 60/40. The apartments will be partially funded through a grant from the Philadelphia Housing Authority; conditions of the grant include income limits.

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Abington Zoning Officer Mark Penecale said the organization approached the township with the plans about three years ago. He added that a representative for the Medical Mission Sisters testified during a zoning hearing board meeting in February 2011 saying that the proposed apartment building would have no impact on the school district. The planning commission gave the organization’s plans a favorable review and the plans will be submitted to the board of commissioners for final approval.

The Medical Mission Sisters’ 136-acre property sits on Pine Road in both Abington (41 acres) and Philadelphia (95 acres). There are several properties on the site, but the property is less than 20 percent covered. None of the existing buildings is going to be demolished. 

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To read more about the Medical Mission Sisters, visit the organization's website here.

“The property is kind of an island,” Penecale said. 

Commissioner Robert Wachter said he supported the plan and called the property a “beautiful area.” And he said jokingly that there’s a really nice thrift shop on the property that is open to the public. 


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