Jordan Hall to be torn down in May
Jordan Hall on Lapsley Lane will be torn down in May to make way for a new build- ing that will serve as a residence for Jesuits, according to Tim McGuriman, associate vice president of Administrative Services.
The plan to demolish Jordan Hall, which houses upperclassmen, was made in agree- ment with the university and the Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus, the region in which the university is located.
“We’re hopeful that work will begin on the site when students move out after graduation,” McGuriman said. “Once graduation is over, we would anticipate hopefully beginning demolition and con- struction for the facility.”
The new residence will house active Jesuits while the current Jesuit residence, the Loyola Center, located on City Avenue, will remain a space for retired Jesuits and will have assisted living and skilled care, according to Brendan Lally, S.J., rector of the Jesuit community.
“It would be a multi-apostolic community but mostly the university Jesuits,” Lally said.
According to Robert Hussey, S.J., provincial of the Maryland Province, the current residence has an imbalance of active Jesuits and retired Jesuits.
“We needed a place that was more apostolically focused in its identity, so we wanted to create a new identity,” Hussey said.
Lally said the purpose of the new residence is to allow the active Jesuits to be able to work with and to help one another.
“The idea was to have another location where men who are active can be together and more involved in the apostolic life,” Lally said. “It would be for Jesuits in the city to also join us, who are working full-time in an active apostoli.”
The new residence will be leased by the Maryland Province Jesuits, who will also pay for the construction, according to Lally and Hussey.
“The university is not providing housing for the Jesuits,” Hussey said. “We are the ones taking financial responsibility for this to happen though the university has been tremendously supportive of us doing this.”
University President Mark C. Reed, Ed.D., said in an email to The Hawk the new residence is a way for the Maryland Province to show its commitment to the university.
“It will afford the Jesuits both a private living space while also enabling them to host and welcome guests in an inviting and new space,” Reed wrote. “I view the fact that the Province desires to make this investment as a tangible expression of their commitment to the university and the ongoing presence and engagement of Jesuits in academic, campus, sacramental, and pastoral activities.”
The Lapsley Lane location for the new Je- suit residence was decided because of its central location on campus and its visibility and accessibility to the university community.
“It’s a symbolic presence to the university in a very strong way,” said Rev. Thomas Pesci, S.J., minister of the Loyola Center community. “[The university has] the added benefit of the Jesuits walking around the campus. It’s a strong commitment to the ministry in Philadelphia and in a very particular way because it’s located here.”
One of the goals of the new residence is to allow Jesuits from around the world to have a place to live, work and learn from one another.
“The community will also be the center for the additional Jesuits who are trying to learn English in the ESL language program here,” Lally said.
Lally said the project will be a positive step forward for the university and allow it to be the center of apostolic life in Philadelphia.
“[The new residence] will facilitate the exchange of ideas and involvement in the intellectual apostolate in the universi- ty as well as the pastoral apostolate at the university since they would be especially available for liturgy and pastoral needs,” Lally said.