PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
Date: January 6, 2025
Contact:
Erin Sogal
614-572-5297
Beacon Communities and Project PLASE Announce the Renovation
of the Historic St. Joseph Monastery School in Baltimore into Beacon House Square
This transformative housing initiative will provide reimagined supportive housing for Baltimore’s unhoused population.
BALTIMORE, MD – Beacon Communities and PLASE (People Lacking Ample Shelter and Employment), are proud to announce the renovation of the historic property at 3601 Old Frederick Road in Baltimore. This much-needed development is an innovative partnership between Beacon and Project PLASE that will allow Project PLASE to continue to provide its critical resources and support to Baltimore’s unhoused population by also adding permanent affordable housing to the Baltimore region. This project is part of a transformation of the historic site of the former St. Joseph Monastery School, built more than 130 years ago. Renovations on the property are slated to begin this month.
Beacon House Square will create 56 new permanent supportive housing units for formerly homeless households, with low-income housing tax credits managed by Beacon Communities and services provided by Project PLASE. The 34 units of temporary housing renovations include converting the former dormitory-style accommodations into single-room occupancies, which affords privacy and a healing space for each resident. The renovated 60,000-square-foot facility will be handicap accessible with two elevators. The building will also include a commercial kitchen, a modern health suite, a library, computer lab, and a large dining/multi-purpose room. This multi-purpose room will be available not just for Project PLASE meetings but also for meetings for community groups in the area and will serve as a space to help connect clients with the community. The permanent housing units, consisting of studio and one-bedroom apartments, will be subsidized with project-based vouchers and reserved for individuals referred through Housing Authority of Baltimore City (HABC). Beacon Communities and Project PLASE are continuing to coordinate with Baltimore’s Mayor’s Office of Homeless Services (MOHS). Residents will receive comprehensive supportive services from Project PLASE, including case management, wellness programs, educational and employment support, and family reunification assistance.
The project also includes a complete overhaul of the building’s systems, including new mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP), roof, windows, finishes, elevators, and major interior updates. The redesign will modernize the space, creating facilities that meet Enterprise Green Communities certification standards while also preserving its historical significance.
“This project embodies our commitment to creating spaces that provide resources, housing and supportive care to those who need it most,” said Dara Kovel, CEO of Beacon Communities. “We are proud to help Project PLASE see its vision become a reality by transforming this historic space.”
“This project is a source of hope for Baltimore’s most vulnerable citizens,” said Mary C. Slicher, LCSW-C, Executive Director of Project PLASE. “It’s more than housing; it’s a pathway to recovery, stability, and reintegration into the community. It also is a rebirth for this Archdiocesan school and a place of safety and health for the whole community. St. Joseph’s Monastery and the City of Baltimore also will benefit for decades to come. We appreciate Beacon Communities expertise in physical capital development and renovation.”
Funding for Beacon House Square includes a diverse mix of public and private resources. Public support includes (in part) HUD’s First Mortgage, Tax Exempt Bonds, Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, Historic Tax Credits, Maryland Department of Housing & Community Development, Veteran’s Grant Per Diem Capital Grant, Maryland Department of Health Capital Grant Funds and ARPA, Affordable Housing Trust and Accelerator Funds from the City of Baltimore. Private donations graciously come from The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, the Abell Foundation, the Home Depot Foundation, Middendorf Foundation, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity and other philanthropic contributions. Private funding partners include Enterprise Community Partners, Chase Bank, and M&T Realty Capital Corporation.
With this project, Project PLASE and Beacon Communities are setting an innovative standard for housing solutions that prioritizes health, dignity, and opportunity. Beacon House Square is expected to open its doors in Spring 2027 Project PLASE has also been proud to partner with Schreiber Brothers Development of Baltimore since 2018 in their pursuit of this transformative initiative.
Project PLASE, an organization that has served the community 50 years, has temporarily relocated its services to 2636 Wilkens Ave, Baltimore, MD 21229 and will be providing all its services without delay or reduction.
For more information, visit beaconcommunitiesllc.com and/or projectplase.org.
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About Beacon Communities LLC
Beacon Communities LLC is a privately owned real estate firm that develops, acquires, invests in, and manages a wide range of multi-family housing. Their portfolio includes affordable housing, market-rate housing and mixed income-housing. Their developments range from new construction, to historic adaptive reuse, to the renovation of existing housing. They take on challenging developments and make them succeed. Their driving passion is to create well-designed, healthy homes that enhance the neighborhoods in which they are located. For more information about Beacon Communities LLC please visit www.beaconcommunitiesllc.com.
About Project PLASE, Inc. (People Lacking Ample Shelter & Employment)
Project PLASE, Inc. (People Lacking Ample Shelter & Employment) is celebrating 50 years of Housing and Hope. We address homelessness by providing housing in several models to address the needs flexibility of unhoused individuals and families, with a myriad of supportive services, including (in part): case management, nursing care, groups, individual support, and more. We serve the most vulnerable and underserved homeless populations in the Baltimore region. Last year alone we housed and served 1000+ persons. Our vision it to eliminate homelessness. For more information about Project PLASE, email Info@projectplase.org.
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