AMVETS to create family services center for veterans at former Laboratory School
Agency鈥檚 national headquarters moving to Washington
From Washington, D.C., to Washington, Pa., AMVETS Charities is moving its national headquarters to Southwestern Pennsylvania, where it also will offer transitional housing for veterans in crisis.
In March, AMVETS Charities was the highest bidder in an auction for the former Laboratory Elementary School, owned by Trinity Area School District, at 99 Manse St. in South Strabane Township. The price, including auctioneer fees, was $269,500.
Joe Chenelly, executive director of AMVETS, said the organization closed on the property last week and will use the building for its AMVETS Charities Family Services Center, which will provide transitional housing and services to veterans and their families who are in financial crisis.
鈥淭his addresses a significant, growing need 鈥� a place for veterans with children to call home as they stabilize their lives and seek permanent housing,鈥� Chenelly said.
AMVETS is also under contract to buy Beth Israel Synagogue at 265 North Ave. in Washington for its new national headquarters after being based in Washington D.C. for nearly 80 years.
Chenelly said Washington County was attractive for many reasons, such as being among the top counties in the country in veterans per capita. Plus, the cost of living is 40% lower than in Washington, D.C. He also said it would be easier to satisfy their goal of hiring veterans, which they plan to do at both local facilities, while not competing with the federal government or major corporations in Washington, D.C.
Chenelly stressed the facility will not be a drug rehabilitation center.
鈥淲e had some neighbors express concern that that鈥檚 what we were putting in there,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 absolutely not the case.鈥�
The area is zoned R-4 (residential). Jeffrey Ziegler, South Strabane Township manager, said he hasn鈥檛 seen plans yet to determine whether the organization is in compliance with zoning regulations.
鈥淚 would just be speculating on what we鈥檙e looking at,鈥� Ziegler said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e very excited to have them come into the township. They鈥檙e moving their whole operation from Washington, D.C., to Washington, Pa. That鈥檚 pretty exciting. They鈥檙e not just opening a branch here; they鈥檙e bringing the whole show.鈥�
Chenelly said he expects the building to be fully operational in about a year, but speculated that the first families may be able to move in as soon as six months.
About 97% of transitional housing facilities across the country segregate by gender, keeping men and women apart for reasons such as safety. Such segregation, although typically necessary, splits up families. That will not be the case at this facility.
鈥淲e know that when you鈥檙e able to keep the family together you have a much better chance for a positive outcome,鈥� Chenelly said. 鈥淭here will be a real sense of community camaraderie there, everything that someone needs to live in the period of time they will be with us.鈥�
A family typically stays at such a center for about one to six months, according to Chenelly.
Career and legal counseling will be available as well as free rides to the Veterans Administration or for various types of treatment.
The Trinity district ceased using the school in February 1995. For several years, the building was leased to Intermediate Unit 1 for educational programs until July 2022, when the regional education agency moved to its McMurray Campus.
Trinity School Board voted in July 2023 to sell the building to Kelsall Properties LLC for $200,000 to be converted into apartments, but the sale was blocked in Washington County Court of Common Pleas. It was eventually sold at auction in October to Kelsall, but that deal fell through.
Moving AMVETS鈥� national headquarters to the synagogue will involve a multimillion-dollar renovation. The building will house the organization鈥檚 offices, but also will have enough space to host meetings and community events. About 30 employees will work there.
The property will also house an American Veterans Museum, plus an AMVETS Memorial Park.
Chenelly expects the office space to be operational in six to eight months with the museum to follow in about a year and a half.
Beth Israel Synagogue, which was built in 1955, will retain use of a smaller chapel on the property, which seats about 25 people.
David Posner, longtime member of the congregation and past president, said services have not been held regularly at the synagogue for quite some time, and instead are held remotely. It was last used for a funeral in January.
鈥淭he building is now vacant,鈥� Posner said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 going to be an auction soon, then it will be really vacant. That will be the end of that story, a very sad story.鈥�
Chenelly is excited about the move to Washington County.
鈥淲e feel really welcome there,鈥� Chenelly said. 鈥淲e wanted to go somewhere where we were wanted. We feel the community really wants our organization here. It鈥檚 a community we want to make a positive difference in.鈥�