New affordable senior housing will be coming to the campus of the former St. John Neumann Catholic High School in South Philadelphia, thanks to a $12 million tax credit allocation.

The Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA) gave the credits and its Innovation in Design award to the Archdiocese of Philadelphia on May 14 to develop St. John Neumann Place II.

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The project represents the second phase of St. John Neumann Place’s 75 units of senior housing within the extensively renovated former archdiocesan high school, a project completed in 2008.

The new $14.7 million project will create 52 affordable apartment units and a Wellness Center on a parcel of land adjacent to St. John Neumann Place.

The archdiocesan Office for Community Development and archdiocesan Catholic Health Care Services are collaborating on the project to add to their portfolio of independent living residences and community-based services for seniors.

St. John Neumann Place II’s planned Wellness Center at the senior housing residence is intended to provide residents as well as seniors from the Grays Ferry community with resources and programs that promote health and wellbeing while aging.

Construction is expected to begin next winter with occupancy targeted for early spring 2017.