GREENWICH VILLAGE — A popular program for seniors will continue to operate in the basement of Our Lady of Pompeii Church thanks to pressure from politicians, neighbors, and even Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the program's director said.
Greenwich House has run its Caring Community Senior Center out of the church's basement for decades, but was told last year by the church's administrators to look for a new space. The church had reportedly found itself in dire financial straits and wanted to rent the basement out to film crews in order to try to stay afloat.
But neighbors and local elected offiicials rallied around the senior center. The lease for the senior center was set to expire this summer, and it appears that in the intervening months, a solution was found.
“Renewing the lease took an effort by the entire community—legislators and neighbors alike," said Roy Leavitt, executive director of Greenwich House. "This effort demonstrates why Greenwich Village is such a great neighborhood to live in.”
Leavitt thanked local State Sen. Brad Hoylman in particularly for his assistance.
“Our Lady of Pompeii Church has been an invaluable resource for Greenwich Village seniors for more than four decades," Hoylman said. "Under the new lease terms, both the church and the senior center can continue to thrive."
The new three-year lease has Greenwich House contributing to cover the costs of utilities and cleaning, and also allowed the basement to be split in half with dividers. Greenwich House did not immediately provide the cost of the new lease.
Hoylman in turn tipped his hat to Councilwoman Margaret Chin, who he said "was instrumental in securing additional funding in the City budget through the Department for the Aging.”
In a statement, Chin said helping the seniors at Pompeii was just one part of what the city owes its elderly residents across the five boroughs.
"Even with this victory for our seniors, the fight is far from over," she said. "As Chair of the Council’s Committee on Aging, I am committed to not only keeping our senior centers open, but to expanding the reach of the services they provide for a growing number of elder New Yorkers.”
Hoylman also gave credit to the seniors who use the center.
"This effort could not have moved forward without [their] tireless advocacy," he said.
The deal was apparently supervised by Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the Archdoicese of New York, who made sure the church will be financially solvent.
Staff at Our Lady of Pompeii could not immediately be reached, and the Archdiocese of New York did not immediately respond to phone and email messages seeking comment.
