After setback, historic Norton Avenue First Baptist Church in Bristol Township to expand, create senior housing

A little prayer — along with a dogged determination to fulfill its mission of expanding its footprint to include a new senior living complex of affordable-housing units — has culminated with the leadership of Norton Avenue First Baptist Church in Bristol Township granted the ability to expand.

Amen.

The Bristol Township Zoning Hearing Board last week voted unanimously in favor of allowing the 60-year-old church to expand its footprint while also creating a 51-unit, senior-centric housing complex. The decision comes after the board denied a similar application from the church in March of last year.

Senior living in Sellersville:Sellersville apartments open for low-income seniors struggling to stay put in Bucks County

Pastor James Evans III, in his thirtieth year of leading the congregation at 1230 Norton Avenue, said the needs of his flock and community outweighed any thoughts of giving up on the project.

"It's one thing to know the area, and it's another thing to know the community; I know the community," Evans said before the board rendered its decision. "I know the pain in the community, and I know the suffering of the community, and I know a lot of people who are looking for a way to stay in the community, but not have to pay an arm and a leg to live there.

"Those are some of the things I have to take into consideration because I am with (the people), literally," Evans added. "So I couldn't give up on it."

Bryce McGuigan of Begley, Carlin and Mandio, LLP and who represented the church at both hearings, said the complex will be exclusive to the senior community. Begley also conceded the project wasn't quite ready for consideration when the plan was first rejected.

"The proposal is a 51-unit affordable housing complex for senior citizens," Begley said. "It will be a 55+ community and will consist specifically of 46 one-bedroom apartments and five two-bedroom apartments."

Related:Low-income senior housing development proposed for Bristol Township

Ultimately, the church will combine its 11 separate parcels into one complex, occupying 1.37 acres and centered near the intersection of Watson and Norton avenues and extending back to Elwood Avenue.

Evans said hardships have only increased on his congregation and community since the initial denial, citing inflation and the rise of the costs of living, including elevated rent and skyrocketing grocery prices.

Senior living in Levittown:McGrath Homes plans to build 3 new 55-plus communities in Levittown

Evans is uniquely positioned to know the aisle and needs of the community he serves.

Aside from his duties as pastor, Evans also serves as the executive director of No Longer Bound, a nonprofit prevention services organization, also located on Norton Street, that focuses its efforts on disadvantaged and at-risk communities.

Gregory Elko of Langan engineer consulting and the lead engineer for this project, said Watson Avenue will be "vacated" and become a dead-end with a turnaround within the complex. The complex will also have a shared 26-slot parking lot. The project requires no tax abatement and there will be no children living on the premises.

A construction start date will be determined.

"

This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Norton Avenue First Baptist Church in Bristol Township to build affordable housing