Group gets money to start project in Lansdale

Posted on July 17, 2013

North Penn Community Health Foundation has received seed money to move forward with North Penn Commons.

North Penn Commons, which had been known at one point at the Lansdale Collaboration project, is an effort among Advanced Living Communities, the PEAK Center, Manna on Main Street and the Lansdale Area Family YMCA to consolidate some of its programs on a single campus. It would also include 60 affordable housing units.

The project will be constructed on the former LansBowl property on Main Street in Lansdale, Pa. The bowling alley burned to ground in 2007 and the site is owned by the local YMCA.

North Penn Commons would cost $28 million to built.

The group needs $17 million, or half of the overall construction costs, to move forward with the pre-construction phase of the project. To that end, Advanced Living Communities received $11.6 million in low-income housing tax credits from the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency. In addition, the North Penn Community Health Foundation underwriting a campaign to raise the remaining $5 million.

One the development is completed, the PEAK Center and Manna on Main Street will move their programs and services to North Penn Commons. A public common area will link the new building to an existing YMCA that undergo renovations and an addition.