{"id":123313,"date":"2026-02-25T18:58:47","date_gmt":"2026-02-25T18:58:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/123313\/"},"modified":"2026-02-25T18:58:47","modified_gmt":"2026-02-25T18:58:47","slug":"alvernia-holds-wall-breaking-ceremony-for-american-house-project-in-reading","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/123313\/","title":{"rendered":"Alvernia holds “wall breaking” ceremony for American House project in Reading"},"content":{"rendered":"

The smile on Dr. Glynis A. Fitzgerald\u2019s face was wide and bright as she let out a joyous laugh Wednesday morning.<\/p>\n

Wearing a maroon suit, black heels and a white construction helmet, Alvernia University\u2019s president stood beside a pile of loose bricks.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think we should do this more often,\u201d she said, passing a sledgehammer to the next participant.<\/p>\n

Fitzgerald \u2014 along with a host of Alvernia officials, local officials and business leaders \u2014 got a chance to swing that hefty tool at that pile of bricks as part of a \u201cwall breaking\u201d ceremony for the renovation of the American House<\/a>. The event marked the ongoing progress in rehabilitation of the 45,000-square-foot historic building at 354 Penn St.<\/p>\n

Alvernia purchased the property in 2022 with plans to make it part of its Reading CollegeTowne. And in September 2023, Alvernia and Berks Community Health Center announced a partnership to develop a state-of-the-art community-based health center at the site.<\/p>\n

\"AlverniaAlvernia University\u2019s plans to renovate and rehabilitate the historic American House in downtown Reading are moving forward. (BILL UHRICH \u2013 READING EAGLE)<\/p>\n

Since then the project has expanded. It will include tenant space for the John Paul II Center for Special Learning, business incubator space for the O\u2019Pake Institute for Economic Development and Entrepreneurship and spots for local businesses.<\/p>\n

Work on the three-phase project began late last year, kicking off with demolition efforts.<\/p>\n

Phase one of the project, which includes exterior rehabilitation, restoration and conservation and the John Paul II Center space, is set for completion in May.<\/p>\n

The second phase, which includes renovations of the first and second floors, is scheduled to be completed in December.<\/p>\n

The third phase, which includes the O\u2019Pake Institute space and tenant areas, will be finished in March 2027.<\/p>\n

On Wednesday, those involved in the project gathered inside the building to celebrate the ongoing effort, calling it a shinning example of how partnerships can create opportunities for the community.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a moment that makes visible what\u2019s been building for years,\u201d Fitzgerald said, explaining that the new building represents Alvernia\u2019s original vision when it expanded into downtown Reading. \u201cIt\u2019s a commitment to the community we serve.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"AlverniaAlvernia University president Dr. Glynis A. Fitzgerald speaks during a “wall breaking” ceremony for the school’s renovation of downtown Reading’s historic American House. Through a partnership with Berks Community Health Center, the building will be fit with a community-based health center. (DAVID MEKEEL – READING EAGLE)<\/p>\n

Fitzgerald said the entire CollegeTowne effort \u2014 which has already seen $63 million invested in the downtown area \u2014 is meant to provide a place for students to live and learn while helping the community thrive and innovation blossom.<\/p>\n

To do that, she said, Alvernia has listened to what the community needs and worked with partners who share the school\u2019s vision. That includes Berks Community Health Center.<\/p>\n

Fitzgerald said the American House project will increase access to health care for those who most need it while providing Alvernia students with real-life, hands-on experiences.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a place where health, education and economic development aren\u2019t treated as different lanes,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

And it has been made possible, she said, through public and private investment. Along with private funding, the project has received local, state and federal government support.<\/p>\n

Reading Mayor Eddie Moran said those investments are well placed.<\/p>\n

He said Alvernia has shown its commitment to the city and has dived in head-first with revitalization efforts.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen Alvernia moved in, they didn\u2019t just move into a building,\u201d Moran said. \u201cThey moved into the fabric of the city.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"ReadingReading Mayor Eddie Moran sends bricks flying with a swing of a sledge hammer during a \u201cwall breaking\u201d ceremony for renovations of the historic American House. (DAVID MEKEEL \u2013 READING EAGLE)<\/p>\n

Moran lauded the partnerships that have led to the American House project.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a physical representation of what happens when we stop working in silos and start working as one,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Mary Kargbo, president and CEO of Berks Community Health Center, said those collaborative efforts will make a big difference for the people of Reading.<\/p>\n

She said the new health center will be a place where everyone \u2014 regardless of income, language barriers, transportation challenges \u2014 will have access to affordable, quality health care.<\/p>\n

\u201cDowntown Reading remains a high-need area,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Kargbo said the project is a meaningful step toward closing health care access gaps in the city, with the center expected to serve about 2,000 patients in its first year.<\/p>\n

\"MaryMary Kargbo, president and CEO of Berks Community Health Center, says a community health center planned in the American House will help close health care access gaps in the city. (DAVID MEKEEL – READING EAGLE)<\/p>\n

The health center will help to provide dignity, equity and contribute to the long-term viability of downtown Reading, Kargbo said, while giving important opportunities to students.<\/p>\n

\u201cTogether, we are creating a space where education and care interact,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\"AnAn artist\u2019s rendering of the lobby of the future community-based health center being created as part of Alvernia University\u2019s renovation of downtown Reading\u2019s historic American House. (Courtesy of Alvernia University)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The smile on Dr. Glynis A. Fitzgerald\u2019s face was wide and bright as she let out a joyous…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":123314,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[349,182,139,28,128,130,129,706],"class_list":["post-123313","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-reading","tag-berks-county","tag-local-news","tag-news","tag-pennsylvania","tag-reading-city","tag-reading-city-headlines","tag-reading-city-news","tag-top-stories-reg"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/123313","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=123313"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/123313\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/123314"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=123313"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=123313"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=123313"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}