Former school may become assisted living facility

Published 12:00 am Friday, December 17, 2004

For more than 70 years, the St. Lawrence O'Toole School helped shape Ironton's youth and the building may soon come full circle for older generations.

Management and Marketing Solutions LLC, an Ohio-based development corporation, has reached an agreement with the St. Lawrence Catholic Church to purchase the building at Seventh and Center streets and potentially convert it into a 32-unit assisted living facility.

Ultimately, the plan could create at least 17 full-time equivalent positions, likely more.

Email newsletter signup

The developers, who include Kunkel & Associates of Wilmington and Sharon Hartwig of Ashland, Ky., plan to renovate the building that was built in 1910. The former school served as home to grades 1 through 8 until the early 1980s when it ceased being used as the Catholic grade school, said the Rev. Thomas Nau of the Ironton Catholic Community.

"We want the building to be restored. We didn't have the funds to do that," he said. "(The developers) have to maintain the integrity."

For Nau, the job creation and need within the community for such a facility were also factors that helped make the deal appealing, although, it has not yet been finalized.

"That kind of facility is appropriate for being next to a church," he said, adding that he believes such a facility would be a "good neighbor."

But the deal is still a long way from a sure thing, said Ralph Kline, assistant director of the Ironton-Lawrence County Community Action Organization.

"There are still some hoops to go through," he said. "The whole thing is still contingent upon public sector financing."

In a project totaling approximately $2.3 million, the developers are seeking $200,000 to $300,000 in Community Development Block Grant monies to make the deal happen.

Kline said the funds would be granted to the city of Ironton who would then loan the money to the developers. Once the application process is completed and a public hearing is conducted, the group could start

work.

"I think the goal is to get going in time for the spring construction season," he said.

As the Bible verse from Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 goes, "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven …"

St. Lawrence O'Toole may have found its new purpose.