New Abbey Manor on schedule

Residents who attended an Island Park Civic Association meeting last week received a project update from the company that is remodeling Abbey Manor.

Charlotte Seltzer, senior vice president of operations for Promoting Specialized Care and Health — the nonprofit that will manage the new building — spoke about the future of the site and what community members can expect once the facility is up and running.

“The project is going along rather quickly,” Seltzer said, explaining that construction should be completed late next June and that the first residents would most likely start moving in in July. Seltzer stressed that the new residents will not be sex offenders or drug addicts who are currently struggling with their addiction.

The new project — which residents suggested should dispense with the Abbey Manor name — will be nothing like the old facility. Abbey Manor was a for-profit home for troubled adults that had room for 99 residents. There was little supervision, and residents were often seen wandering the streets, causing concern and stress for people who lived nearby.

In addition to renovating the building and making it more aesthetically pleasing, PSCH plans to cut the number of residents in half — the new building will have 50 single-occupancy studio apartments. There will also be staff on-site 24 hours a day. If Island Park residents have any concerns, they will be able to talk to a staff member at the front desk at any time, or call a 24/7 hotline.

The residents will also be different from those who the old Abbey Manor housed. “Many of the folks who’ll be living there are ready to live in the community,” said Seltzer. “They’re just waiting for something to open up.”

While the residents will be adults who are dealing with mental issues, they will not need around-the-clock care. They will be, for the most part, independent. They may need help with a few things, but many of them will hold jobs and go about life like anyone else.

“It’s not a halfway house,” Seltzer said. “It’s a place people can live indefinitely. It’s their home.”