A joint venture among Endeavor Property Group, Guidi Homes
and the Goldenberg Group has put St. Mary’s Villa for Children and Families in
Ambler, Pa., under agreement and is devising plans for a residential
development on the 45-acre tract at 701 S. Bethlehem Pike.
The developers are proposing to construct a mix of carriage
homes, townhouses, condominiums and senior independent living apartments. They
also intend to restore an existing “castle,” two gate houses and portions of
the property's formal gardens.
The site has been functioning as a residential facility for
at-risk youth since 1936. The castle had been known as Lindenwold, which was
the estate of Richard Mattison. He was one of the founders of Keasbey and
Mattison Co., an Ambler company that ended up becoming one of the world’s
largest asbestos manufacturers.
St. Mary’s Villa moved to the site from Conshohocken 77
years ago and has operated from there every since. It was the site location for
Trouble with Angels, a movie starring Rosalind Russell and Hayley Mills.
The property is owned by Sisters of the Holy Family of
Nazareth. Public Health Management Corp. of Philadelphia leases space to
operate what is now referred to as “The Villa.” The Sisters of the Holy Family
couldn’t be reached for comment.
Regardless of the fate of the land and property, PHMC is
committed to the Villa and its program, said Lauren T. Nestler, spokeswoman for
the company.
The developer has had some preliminary meetings with Upper
Dublin Township officials but nothing formal has been filed.
“We’ve not seen land development application or petition for
rezoning but we do expect that to occur at some point,” said Paul Leonard,
township manager.
The developer has lined up a couple of meetings with
neighbors to review what its early plans are for the site.
Any rezoning would be complicated and controversial. It’s
now zoned institutional. The process could take 12 to 18 months.
Institutions have increasingly sought to sell real estate as
a way to either get rid of excess properties or to raise money. For example,
the Philadelphia School District is looking to sell 100 of its properties and
the Philadelphia Archdiocese has been selling off pieces of its vast portfolio.
A partnership between Goldenberg Group and Guidi Homes
redeveloped the former Haverford State Hospital grounds into a residential
community.
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