Catholic village
moves forward

By KRISTA GROMALSKI

SHOHOLA — With the partnership of entrepreneur Vincent Cioci and the Society of St. John, plans to construct a Catholic village within Shohola Township are progressing.

In September 1999, the Society, an association of priests, clerics, religious and laity, purchased 1,025 acres in the township. Hand-in-hand with the construction of a village is development of The College of Saint Justin Martyr, a four-year, private, coeducational liberal arts college.

Cioci recently created Saint Joseph’s Enterprise with the intention of developing the Shohola property, according to Joseph Mioni of the Society.

Deciding that the proposed village will provide a place to raise his family in a healthy environment, Cioci “has decided to direct his talents and capital to hasten this development.”

The entire construction project is envisioned in two-phases, according to Mary Schwerdt, spokesperson for the Society. Phase one, the village, is currently on the table. Consisting of only “a few acres” of land near the bottom of the Society’s property, it will be built around the church and contain the college, a few small stores and residences, Schwerdt said.

The village will feature cluster housing in a European style. “It will be a densely populated area and will depend on what the township will approve,” she said.

Shohola Township Zoning Officer William Gabriel said because the proposed development “will be a very concentrated area, where township ordinances require more space, the zoning code would need to be modified or added to, to accommodate such development.”

Saint Joseph’s Enterprise recently distributed a “Catholic Village Survey,” created by Robert Charles Lesser Company, to potential residents. The 18-question survey includes inquiries about building styles and square footage most likely to be purchased. The village survey can be accessed at www.ssjohn.org.

Schwerdt said this market survey is almost completed and has proven a “high demand and interest in the village.”

The next step, she said, will be a financial feasibility study, which will determine housing costs in the village. Following this will be completion of a land use plan, which “will take a lot of time.”

This will determine “sewer, water, roads and the environmental impact of the project,” Schwerdt said.

Gabriel said he had “sessions” with the Society last year to discuss preliminary sewage testing, but there have been no more meetings since that time.

“They must present a sewage plan and get DEP approval before they get to square one,” Gabriel said.

Schwerdt said the Society has been in contact with township supervisor George Fluhr regarding a land use plan, and cannot apply for any permits until one is in place.

Phase two of the overall development, a larger city proposed to sit on the top of the Society’s property, will move forward after an assessment of phase one’s success, Schwerdt said. “We’ll begin [with the village] on the bottom of our land, then see how it goes… If people want a second [development,] we’ll go ahead.”