LIFE Geisinger comes to Schuylkill County this fall
Former garment factory new home for senior care facility and housing development
MINERSVILLE, Pa. – After sitting vacant for more than 50 years, a former garment factory in downtown Minersville gets a new lease on life this fall.
LIFE Geisinger will open its fifth senior care facility at the old factory as part of the Miners Lofts project at 2 Lewis St. in Minersville. The newly renovated five-story building also includes 30 affordable housing units for seniors and a first-floor garage.
“Our goal at LIFE Geisinger is to keep our participants happy, healthy and living in the community as long as possible,” said Robert McQuillan, LIFE Geisinger director. “Miners Lofts provides a unique opportunity to combine housing with a LIFE program. From this location LIFE Geisinger will be able to provide our model of home and community-based services to the residents of Schuylkill County — in Schuylkill County.”
LIFE Geisinger supports adults 55 or older who would otherwise be confined to a nursing home so they can continue to live independently in their own homes. As a full-service health system, the program provides specialized senior health and medical care, as well as a full range of daily activities to enhance participants' quality of life.
The new facility occupies the 11,750-square-foot second floor of Miners Lofts and includes primary care services with full exam rooms, recreational space, rehabilitation gym, bathing facilities, a laundry room and a serving kitchen.
Mid Penn Bank was the sole contributor to the project through Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Neighborhood Assistance Program and provided $500,000 toward construction of the of new LIFE Geisinger facility.
“Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, the importance of community bank organizations like Mid Penn Bank have been established more than ever before,” said Mid Penn Bank President & CEO Rory G. Ritrievi. “Simply put, it is part of our mission to consistently support each of the communities in which we operate with loans, employee volunteerism and investment dollars. When we invest, we do so in projects that ideally support certain segments of the population that need it most. With the Miners Loft Project — a project put together by the wonderful organization Geisinger — we get to support the revitalization of a historic Schuylkill County property and provide vital and affordable housing and senior care to the 55+ community. We are committed to supporting programs like LIFE Geisinger that directly and positively impact the communities we serve, and it is our pleasure to do so here with Miners Loft.”
“We are thrilled to be a part of readapting this blighted factory building to provide affordable housing for seniors,” said Nobel C. “Bud” Quandel, chairman and CEO of Quandel Enterprises. “This project will also provide medical services and day care services for senior citizens in Minersville and surrounding communities through LIFE Geisinger. This is especially rewarding for me. I grew up in Minersville and my family has resided in Minersville where they founded our family construction business that started as a lime kiln in 1882. It is incredibly satisfying to contribute to such a positive change that will be felt here for years to come!”
Building construction is expected to be completed by August, with services available in early fall.
When fully operational, LIFE Geisinger Minersville will create about 50 new jobs and provide services to around 150 residents of Schuylkill County. LIFE Geisinger Kulpmont currently provides services for Schuylkill County residents enrolled in the program. Eligible participants can enroll now for LIFE Geisinger Minersville.
For more information about LIFE Geisinger, visit go.Geisinger.org/LIFE or call 855-237-9467.
About Mid Penn Bancorp Inc.
Mid Penn Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: MPB), headquartered in Millersburg, Pa., has been serving the community since 1868. Mid Penn has 39 retail locations in the state of Pennsylvania and total assets of more than $2 billion. Its footprint includes Berks, Bucks, Chester, Cumberland, Dauphin, Fayette, Lancaster, Luzerne, Montgomery, Northumberland, Schuylkill and Westmoreland counties. The bank offers a comprehensive portfolio of products and services to meet the banking needs of the communities it serves. To learn more about Mid Penn Bank, visit www.midpennbank.com.
About Geisinger Health Plan
Medical Assistance recipients.
