Brookhaven to repurpose Our Lady of Charity site after Saint Joseph’s to vacate; borough cites grants to fund acquisition

Brookhaven Borough officials told residents on June 2 that the borough has received further county grant funding for the purchase of the Our Lady of Charity (OLC) property and that the borough intends to repurpose the former convent building once its occupants vacate.

Solicitor Jay Wills and borough staff reported that the borough received a second Delco Greenways grant disbursement of $250,000, bringing total county‑ and state‑level grant funding toward the OLC purchase to $600,000. The council said those funds support the borough’s acquisition of the OLC property and future plans for public uses.

At the meeting borough officials also addressed a lease matter with Saint Joseph’s Family Hope Center, which has occupied the former OLC convent under a month‑to‑month lease the borough inherited. Council stated it is exercising its contractual right to terminate the lease so the borough can repurpose the building for broadly accessible municipal uses. The solicitor said the lease provides for termination with 60 days’ written notice and that negotiations had previously extended an evacuation date; Saint Joseph’s recently informed the borough that it will vacate the building on June 30, 2025.

The borough described planned uses as public meeting space for youth sports and service organizations, a cultural venue for dramatic arts and a gathering place for seniors, and said it will proceed after the building is vacated. Council also said it is concerned about potential tax implications: the solicitor told council members that the borough risks losing a tax exemption on the property and estimated the tax liability on that portion of the site could be roughly $13,000–$14,000 per year if the exemption were lost.

Council members said they had attempted multiple negotiations with the archdiocese and Saint Joseph’s and that the borough had provided an extended forbearance period in the past. "The borough is respectfully exercising its rights to terminate the lease so that it can move forward with its plans to repurpose the former convent building for the use, enjoyment, and benefit of all borough residents," a borough statement read at the meeting.

Officials asked residents with questions to bring them to the second public discussion session; no formal council vote to adopt a repurposing plan or to sell or lease the property occurred at the June 2 meeting.

Ending: Borough staff said they will continue outreach with Saint Joseph’s and the archdiocese to ensure an orderly transition and will provide more detail on reuse plans and timelines once vacating is complete.