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The new North Side campus of the St. Ann Center will include medical and dental clinics, classrooms, an indoor lap pool and an intergenerational playground. (Photo by Molly Rippinger)
For the past five years, Linda Merrill has found friendship and a strong sense of purpose at the St. Ann Center for Intergenerational Care.
“I come here for the companionship,” said Merrill, 66.
As a client enrolled in the adult day services, Merrill takes a van service from her home in Oak Creek to the center on 2801 E. Morgan Ave. three times per week. Merrill said she enjoys having the chance to engage with people and partake in daily activities that range from art projects to massage therapy.
“This is a good place,” explained Merrill, who said she suffered from depression and loneliness prior to her enrollment at St. Ann’s. “Here, there’s always something to do.”
At the groundbreaking for the new St. Ann Center, Alderman Russell Stamper spoke about the positive impact it will have on the community. (Photo by Molly Rippinger)
St. Ann’s is now expanding to the North Side. The new Bucyrus Campus will be built on a 7.5-acre plot at 24th Street and North Avenue. Community members, funders and St. Ann Center staff recently gathered at the site for a ceremonial groundbreaking.
Founded in 1983 by Sister Edna Lonergan and the Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi, the St. Ann Center offers an intergenerational approach to health and education services for adults and children. The South Side center, which was built in 1999, serves more than 200 children, older adults and people with disabilities each day.
The North Side center will cater to the needs of local residents, said Lonergan, president of the St. Ann Center. “It will be run and operated by the neighborhood, for no one understands the needs of this neighborhood more than the people who live here.”
The two-story building will provide 80,000 square feet of space, which will be used for a multipurpose, intergenerational care facility. Inside, the campus will include a medical clinic, dental clinic, wellness program and classrooms, as well as an indoor lap pool and intergenerational playground. Exterior plans include a 500-seat band shell, playgrounds and community gardens.
“This is a new beginning for this community,” noted Alderman Russell Stamper at the groundbreaking. “The St. Ann Center will be an anchor to jump start more development.”
Lonergan said that the center will bring an estimated 200 jobs to the North Side community and will provide services for more than 400 people each day.
“Seeing this mission come to the neighborhood is absolutely incredible,” said Lorraine Burroughs, a volunteer for the Milwaukee County Commission on Aging.
The $20.5 million project will be completed in two phases, with the first phase scheduled for completion by September 2015.
“What St. Ann’s does is miraculous,” said Mayor Tom Barrett. “And this is something we need more of in our community.”
December 4, 2014
SKIN IN THE GAME
Greetings Molly!
Milwaukee Professionals Association LLC gave an in-depth Exposé on the St. Ann Center and its “exploitation” of the Amani Census tract 99.
Sisters of Assisi have pulled together an ALL Caucasian cast that has full control of the project. Did I hear someone mention the African Americans that have stuck their two cents forward – Alderman Russell Stamper II (uninformed and creating a divisiveness in the 15th District that is destined for explosion), Lena’s Food (disappointing – efforts needed in updating adjacent façade of store, parking lot, landscaping and key items to remain a competitive brand business in the city center, Rev. Harvey (disappointing – failed to embrace fellow ministers for a better empowerment of those who have been booted, paying growing taxes, and losing view).
Sister Lonergan does not have a clue to the importance of NOT gentrifying – She thinks Bucyrus (user of Milwaukeeans federal funding then took jobs to Texas) should be the name of the location. This is the Amani area. Anything shy of Amani Campus would be “disrespectful”.
She remains clueless when she speaks of jobs. Recently she and a fellow member were present at the November YMCA-CDC meeting for a progress report – she did not come with a member administrator of the project from the People of Amani Core Constituents – she gave a perfunctory report and did not have specifics of employment. She referred to the African American firm supposedly coordinating the “set-aside” funding. Was he there, NO. Are you reporting on him Molly?
Reporting
Molly, tell me how many folk in the Amani and contiguous neighborhoods know what is actually going on at St. Ann? How many are working there NOW in the creation/erection of the building? How many will have the historic presence of being a part of the visual creation except for the orchestrated body you reported on for the outside marketing recently? Where did these folk come from? Are their parents visual stakeholders of the project?
How many African Americans will be able to use this site’s erection for their portfolio? How many are projected to work there? How many African Americans are “prime contractors”?
Did you report how Sister Lonegan plans to fleece the community by using Medicare and Medicaid funding for this endeavor? So, the city officers gave the land for $1 (without permission – ex-Alderman Willie Hines, now Alderman Russell Stamper II), St Ann is able to match and/or get funding with the pretext of the health focus and neighborhood (social influence) and then fund the child care and seniors with what they get from the federal government. That’s a “racket” seen too often in the African American areas that breed Enduring Concentrated Poverty since the people – the real people – did not have a say – and, do not have a say now.
Tell your audience, your readers, specifics what C J Schmidt has done to hire and the high wages being paid with benefits that are African American – the majority population that is in the area – the majority population that surround the 7.5 acres that do not know that Sister Lonergan and Sisters of Assisi got the land for $1.
Identify the people that have been working on the site and working there NOW.
What African Americans are collaborators in-the-neighborhood?
What Board of Directors and DNA of this project look like and breathe knowledge and support of this project.
There are three parts to Milwaukee Professionals Association LLC Expose – This is the link below for Part II
http://mpapublicpolicyreview.blogspot.com/search?q=st+ann
I am sorry that you feel this way. Our doors are always open for you to visit our current center and discuss your concerns. 414-977-5000