On Monday, September 29, 2025, CBP Architects attended the groundbreaking celebration for St. Katharine Drexel Place in Philadelphia, Pa. Located adjacent to Archbishop Ryan High School, the project involves substantial renovation of the former four-story school friary and construction of a new three-story addition. The 52,000-square-foot project will provide 48 one-bedroom affordable housing units for seniors. The friary chapel will become a community room with kitchen and pantry for shared resident use, and revitalized green spaces around the building will include a courtyard, walking path, and rain garden. The intergenerational community will give senior residents the opportunity to engage in school activities.
Groundbreaking was hosted by project owner, Catholic Housing and Community Services (CHCS), a ministry of Catholic Charities of Philadelphia (CCoP). Auxiliary Bishop of Philadelphia, who oversees CCoP, Most Reverend John J. McIntyre, presided over the blessing and groundbreaking ceremony. Attendees included local, state, and Housing and Urban Development (HUD) representatives along with CBP Architects Managing Partner Nancy Bastian, FAIA, NCARB, LEED AP, Associate Nora Bergsten, AIA, LEED AP, and Architectural Designer Alec Natkin, Assoc. AIA.
“Our seniors on fixed incomes have great challenges, so to get them into safe, affordable housing that’s really beautiful, that reflects their innate God-given dignity, it’s just transformative for them.”
Catholic Housing and Community Services Director Suzanne O’Grady Laurito
St. Katharine Drexel Place is funded by federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, PennHOMES, National Housing Trust Funds, Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement Funds, and state housing tax credits. As part of a new PHFA initiative, the project received additional funding to recognize the connection between stable housing and improved health outcomes. Completion is scheduled for Fall 2026.
The project team includes:
Owner: Catholic Housing and Community Services
Contractor: DOMUS, Inc.
Civil Engineer: Cornerstone Consulting Engineers & Design Services, Inc.
Structural Engineer: Larsen & Landis Structural Engineers
MEP Engineer: Holstein White, Inc.
Lighting Designer: BEAM, ltd.
Energy Consultant: Innova Building Advisors, LLC
See media coverage of the groundbreaking:
Archdiocese of Philadelphia Catholic Philly Environments for Aging
