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The director of Lancaster Teen Induction Center said his group will no longer attempt to open a substance-abuse treatment facility in Intercourse.
"The plan was to buy Leacock Elementary School, which is going to close later this year, and set up a Teen Challenge Training Center," the Rev. Jaime Santiago said Thursday. "But some people who live in Intercourse didn't think that would be a good idea."
So late last week Santiago decided to withdraw the Christian group's bid for the building at 3656 Old Philadelphia Pike.
"The township reps told us that the center wouldn't be good for the area's economic development," he said. "They said we were welcome to find another spot in the area, but you know there are no other buildings like that around."
Santiago said he was quick to withdraw the group's bid because of financial reasons.
"We had a meeting with township supervisors and representatives, and they told us there would be a hearing if we still wanted the building," he said. "It sounded like a long battle to me.
"To bid on the building, we had to put $75,000 down," Santiago said. "If I waited longer to withdraw the bid, I would have lost that money altogether. We're nonprofit, so most of that money was donated. "I couldn't tell people I lost that money for a building we were never going to get," he said.
Although the township representatives had said they didn't want to support the treatment center for economic reasons, Santiago said some residents were obviously "afraid" of living near former substance abusers.
"There was a flier someone circulated that told residents they should be concerned about Teen Challenge," he said. "It was all about spreading fear."The flier suggested that allowing a Teen Challenge Training Center into the community would mean endangering local children. The flier goes on: "It only takes one to rob or steal or worse yet, hurt someone in our community. The men who quit the program will likely feel like failures, possibly desperate and possibly dangerous."
Frank E. Howe, chairman of the township supervisors, said Thursday he found one of the fliers in his yard.
"No one handed it to me, I just found it there one day," he said. "I think whoever was responsible for the fliers represents a small percentage of the community. Someone once told me that it only takes 2 percent to make 90 percent of the noise, and I think that's true here."
Howe said the school building is in a residential district, bordered by Evergreen Street, Hollander Road, Old Philadelphia Pike (Route 340) and Newport Road (Route 772). "It's a residential spot, and around it, it can get touristy," he said. "It's not the most appropriate place for a drug-treatment center."
Howe did say he respects the work Teen Challenge does.
"I think it's a great organization, and the work they do is very important," he said.
Teen Challenge representatives were scheduled to meet Tuesday with Leacock Township Zoning Hearing Board to request a special exception. "Since the group pulled their bid, the meeting's no longer needed," Howe said.
Leacock Elementary School is a 32,358-square-foot building standing on 5.2 acres. The asking price is $1.75 million, according to newspaper records.
(550) (309) (239) (56) (7) (6) (5) (3) (2)Santiago said Teen Challenge is licensed to help with substance abuse by the state Department of Health and that admission is denied to anyone who has a history of a psychological disorders or has been charged with a violent or sexual offense. The proposed 24-bed facility in Intercourse would have accepted adult men.
The organization was founded 50 years ago to help troubled teens in New York City. Since then, the organization spread nationwide and branched out to serve youth as young as 12 and adults. Santiago said he graduated from the program in 1991.
"We lead people to a relationship with Christ. The clients, who are not always teens, come to me for the first four months for residential treatment," he said.
"Then they spend eight months at the training center, where they work for pay and learn to give back to the community. If they don't have their (general education development) certificates — we help them get them. About 85 percent of our clients who take the test pass it. "We heal the body, mind and soul," Santiago said. "That's what we do, that's what we're all about."
E-mail: cdifonzo@lnpnews.com
