The former Charles Morris Nursing & Rehabilitation Center in Squirrel Hill will once again be a home for seniors — but with a fresh look and vision.
The long-time facility is part of a development planned to expand living options in the city of Pittsburgh while meeting the ever-changing needs of its population, according to the Jewish Association on Aging, which owns the property.
“We are proud to create this extraordinary offering for seniors in our community,” said Louis Plung, board chair of the Jewish Association on Aging at its annual meeting last week. “Our vision is to create a vibrant and inclusive community that supports seniors at every stage of their aging journey.”
At the meeting held at Rodef Shalom Congregation in Shadyside, details of the project for the former nursing home, which closed in 2021, and the adjacent Residence at Weinberg Village, which closed in 2022, were unveiled.
The Jewish Association is calling the project an urban senior village.
The entire project will likely cost around $50 million. Fundraising and financing helped cover the costs.
The campus will be transformed to include a personal care residence and an independent living facility, which will complement the Jewish Association on Aging’s AHAVA Memory Care Residence in the Charles Morris building.
The New Riverview Apartments nearby, comprised of 191 recently renovated studios and one- and two-bedroom apartments, will also be part of the urban senior village.
The personal care residence and independent living facility will offer modern, comfortable living spaces and feature a range of social, spiritual and communal amenities, as well as outdoor areas, according to Plung. There will also be a shul — a synagogue for Jewish worship for Shabbat services and high holiday services.
The cost of living in one of these residences is to be determined.
The urban senior village will complement the Jewish Association on Aging’s services, including home health. The team conducted 17,500 home health visits over this past year, JAA president and CEO Mary Anne Foley said.
Some of that care was for intensive therapy, similar to what would happen in a nursing home, Foley said. Sivitz Hospice and Mollie’s Meals (a meals-on-wheels type organization that offers a kosher option), physical therapy and care navigation are also part of the services the Jewish Association on Aging will continue to offer, Foley said.
“This expansion will enable us to grow our home and community-based services and support even more seniors,” Foley said. “By expanding our offerings, both residential and community-based, we are not only meeting the current needs of the community, but we are also preparing for the future demands of our aging population.”
The project will be completed in two phases.
The first will focus on transforming Charles Morris, which closed in January 2021 because of years-long underfunding of Medicaid reimbursements; a statewide shift toward at-home and community-based care; and the 2020 pandemic hiking expenses while causing revenue to plummet.
The space will undergo a 30-unit renovation of residences that is projected to be completed in late 2025.
The second phase will include building a state-of-the-art independent living facility consisting of approximately 60 units on the site of the former Residence at Weinberg Village.
Plung said through research they’ve found a need for independent living and personal care. With all locations combined, JAA will have close to 350 or more residents living on the campus.
“It is what goes on inside the buildings which really matters,” Plung said. “It’s the Jewish values. It is the care and compassion. And that will never change. This is our next chapter.”
Details: jaapgh.org