The Congregation of St. Joseph was formed in 2007 by the merger of seven Sisters of St. Joseph congregations. The combined entity has nearly 600 members with major centers in seven states. After examining their demographic and financial projections, the Sisters determined that their land and buildings no longer served the declining number of sisters who use them. Hoffman developed a Strategic Facility Plan on how and when the Congregation of St. Joseph could re-purpose and/or reduce building square footage to provide functional and comfortable space, as well as understand and reduce their carbon footprint at each of their six locations.
Hoffman then developed design concepts for four of the locations—Cleveland, Ohio; LaGrange, Illinois; Nazareth, Michigan; and Wichita, Kansas. The projects in Cleveland, LaGrange, and Nazareth all involve the design and construction of new assisted living facilities. Cleveland and LaGrange will both have 26 units, while Nazareth will have 76. The project in Wichita includes a new 24-unit skilled care facility and a 20-unit assisted living facility. For some of the locations, the units were designed to allow laity to move in as the Sisters’ population decreases.

When the Our Lady of Victory Missionary (OLVM) Sisters determined that a new assisted living facility was needed for the older and frail members of their congregation, they selected Hoffman to provide design and construction services. Hoffman ultimately determined that renovating their existing Holy Family health care building was not practical, so a new two-story addition that reflects the architecture of their nearby motherhouse was proposed. Seeking to relieve from their younger Sisters the burden of providing eldercare in this new facility, OLVM formed a partnership with diocese-owned St. Anne Communities. The Fort Wayne-based senior care provider now owns and operates Saint Anne Victory Noll, which is the new facility and the existing three-story building, and provides care for both Sisters and laity. In addition to 40 resident rooms with private baths, the new 26,000 square foot facility offers retreats, spiritual direction, and other programming, kitchen and dining areas on each floor, visiting areas/lounges, and an enclosed courtyard with walking paths and gazebo. The existing building retains the chapel and central kitchen, dining, and laundry facilities that the Sisters have relied upon for fifty years.

The Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth selected Hoffman to address their skilled nursing needs and develop options for enhancing the living environment for their aged Sisters. After considering various facility options, the Sisters decided to responsibly deconstruct their campus’ existing retirement facility, Ross Hall, and rebuild it were it once stood. The newly designed Ross Hall provides numerous upgrades over the existing facility, which included no sprinkler system, narrow hallways, bedrooms and bathing rooms too undersized for assistive devices, and a lack of community spaces. The new facility accommodates 45-47 Sisters organized into three households. Two house 18-20 Sisters each while the third offers nine rooms to care for Sisters with dementia. Each household contains community space, bathing rooms, an area for support staff, and a covered drive ideal for dropping off and picking up sisters in a safe environment. A screen porch and Four Seasons room is located on each floor, along with Activity and Parlor spaces. Outdoor spaces that had previously been difficult and hazardous for the Sisters to use were enhanced and enlarged, providing greater accessibility. Many sustainable features were incorporated into the project including a green roof and patio located off the dementia household to provide a secure outdoor space. High-performance HVAC and lighting systems were included to maximize efficiency, and low VOC (volatile organic compounds) adhesives and paints as well as other finish materials with high amounts of recycled content were specified. Water capture is incorporated into the site for irrigation purposes and a large solar field set over an existing parking lot offsets energy use.

The Franciscan Sisters of Allegany (FSA) partnered with Hoffman on the renovation
and addition to Saint Elizabeth Motherhouse in Allegany, New York. The Sisters’ goals were to transform their existing facility into a warm, home-like, non-institutional environment that provides multiple levels of care for all Sisters in the FSA community and allow the flexibility for laity in the Allegany area to potentially reside in the building. Hoffman provided planning and construction management services for a 30-unit skilled nursing addition and extensive remodeling to the existing motherhouse which creates an additional 65 resident units with bathrooms. The addition and remodel includes the full continuum of care of residents from dementia/skilled and assisted living to independent and guest rooms. Common spaces within the facility include a new prep kitchen, central dining room, community rooms with kitchenettes throughout the building, bathing spas, and beauty and staff support spaces.

The project was completed in two phases, which allowed the majority of Sisters to remain in the building during construction. The first phase consisted of remodeling the administration and assisted living areas as well as the new skilled nursing addition. Once completed, Sisters moved into these areas so the independent resident rooms and associated common spaces could be finished.

Christ the King Lutheran Church in Combined Locks, Wisconsin, was originally built in the mid-90s and has served its congregation well for nearly 20 years. However, the growth in the congregation and aging of the church had necessitated a renovation project that would expand and remodel the facility, create a welcoming space for parishioners and visitors, and focus on the parking lot, sanctuary, Narthex, and youth spaces.

Christ the King selected Hoffman to provide design and construction management services for the expansion and renovation of their existing church building. The project included updating the sanctuary; expanding the Narthex area; addressing various issues with the parking lot, exterior signage, and other external spaces; and creating dedicated youth space for high school age students.

Hoffman collaborated with the church on the design and phasing to prepare for a fundraising effort. Following fundraising Hoffman provided construction management services.

St. Thomas More Parish selected Hoffman to handle various worship space enhancements and renovations to their church in preparation for their 50th anniversary. The interior remodeling and addition were deemed necessary to accommodate liturgical and spiritual diocesan directives as well as resolve the practical needs of a modern congregation and the physical needs of a 25-year-old facility.

The 13,000 square foot project featured numerous improvements, including upgraded finishes throughout the facility; the reconstruction of the Sanctuary; the realignment of pews to accommodate kneelers; acoustical and audio-visual system upgrades; installation of a new, fully controllable lighting system; HVAC system replacement; security and accessibility enhancements; and the addition of new bathrooms to serve the school cafeteria and parish space. Sustainable features of the project included the use of LED fixtures and low-VOC materials and the installation of low-flow, sensor-controlled plumbing fixtures.

Having decided that their outdated infirmary could not be renovated to meet their vision of person-centered care, and concerned with being able to provide a homelike environment for their frail and infirm Sisters, the Sisters of St. Francis of the Holy Family partnered with Hoffman on the planning, design, and construction of their new, skilled care facility, Clare House. Carefully aligned with the existing statue of Mary, Clare House’s main entry leads into the chapel and parlor. Both the main level and upper floor have 38 bedrooms with private toilets grouped into two households, each of which has a centrally located kitchenette, dining, living, and activity area. One third of the rooms have views into a secure, landscaped courtyard with a walking path while the remainder look out over Dubuque and the surrounding hills. The lower level of Clare House contains a large kitchen, dining room, multi-purpose room, offices, and services areas. The design provides the flexibility to reserve separate households for different levels of care, including memory care.

Project Update: Cenacle Sisters Retreat Center and Convent Earns LEED® Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

The Cenacle Sisters, an international Catholic order, asked Hoffman to evaluate three of their North American Province locations, one being Ronkonkoma, New York. Following a use-evaluation of their existing building, it was determined that the convent and retreat center—which was double the space needed by the Sisters—would not meet their future needs in its current state, and was not a candidate for renovation. The Sisters decided to have Hoffman responsibly deconstruct the existing building and then build a new 46,000 square foot convent and retreat center on the same location. Designed to address the Sisters evolving community, the new facility’s convent space features ten Sister rooms with two guest rooms in a household layout that includes kitchen, dining, living, laundry, and bathing rooms, chapel, a Sister community/library room, a craft/music room, and a central Sister dining room. The retreat portion of the facility touts 24 private rooms with bath, bathing spa, massage and dining areas, meeting and spiritual direction rooms, and a Four Season/Prayer space with covered loggia above. Integrating multiple environmentally friendly elements that reduce energy and water consumption and take advantage of natural light, the project was awarded LEED® Gold certification. Numerous features of the previous convent, such as stained glass, were salvaged and incorporated into the new building.

The Benedictine Women of Madison partnered with Hoffman on the planning, design, and construction of the 34,000 square foot Holy Wisdom Monastery in Madison, Wisconsin. Seeking to replace Benedict House, their existing 60,000 square foot retreat and conference center, the Sisters set high expectations for Holy Wisdom Monastery, lead by the need to embody the Sisters’ mission of weaving prayer, hospitality, justice, and care for the earth into a shared way of life as an ecumenical Benedictine community. While portraying an elegant simplicity central to the Sisters’ monastic values, the monastery needed to provide space ideal for both quiet, personal reflection as well as community gatherings. In addition, the Sisters wanted the monastery to be designed and built sustainably, respectful of its natural environment, within a fiscally responsible budget, and they wanted to achieve a LEED® Platinum certification. Once the project was complete, it had become the highest-rated LEED-New Construction building in the United States—achieving 63 out of a possible 69 points under LEED-NC v2.2 at a total project square foot cost of just $246. The two-story Holy Wisdom Monastery provides the Sisters and their community with spaces for worship, concerts, conferences, lectures, interfaith dialog, and both small and large group dining.

Located in Scranton, Pennsylvania, Our Lady of Peace Residence is a 133,000 square foot continuing care retirement community operated by the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The four-story facility, designed and built by Hoffman, replaced Marian Convent, the previous home to 130 elderly Sisters. Designed to provide a homelike setting, the convent ministers to the wellness needs of the Sisters and offers a shared Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) center for Scranton residents. In addition to three household wings—each containing 10 resident units—Our Lady of Peace Residence features a public “main street” which has a chapel, beauty salon, bistro, and dining services.

Saddled with a facility that was outdated, in need of major renovations and repair, and didn’t suit their needs, the Sisters of St. Francis of the Holy Cross in Green Bay, Wisconsin, selected Hoffman to design and build for them a new Motherhouse. The 51,500 square foot building, which is energy efficient and right-sized for the needs of their aging community, features 35 bedrooms with handicap accessible private baths, office space, a community room, chapel, library, and courtyard. The facility’s design was geared toward lowering maintenance and operating costs and improving life safety for the Sisters while the site was master planned to allow for future expansion.

Continuing a decade-long relationship, the Sisters of St. Agnes in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, asked Hoffman to assist them in addressing the needs of their Motherhouse. After a site and building anaylsis determined that their existing facility was not a candidate for renovation, Hoffman developed a master plan for the Sisters and ultimately designed and constructed their new Motherhouse. The facility features independent living space for the Sisters, a conference center, dining area, and archival space. The design of the facility incorporates an existing stream on site that serves as its focal point, dissecting the building into an administrative portion and living quarters.