A new chapter is beginning for Highland Square’s Leonora Hall after a nonprofit organization, Grace House Akron, purchased the property with the unexpected help of an anonymous donor.

Background

The three-building complex at the corner of North Portage Path and Edgerton Road, which includes the former 1918 Kerch mansion, sold for $2.78 million, according to the Summit County Fiscal Agent’s website.

The acquisition means the property has a new owner following the closure of the Francesca Residence and the displacement of its mostly elderly residents.

In a statement, Grace House representative Jen Boroff said that the nonprofit, which provides end-of-life care and housing for people who are indigent, unsheltered or abandoned, sees potential for the site to strengthen its mission and serve the broader community but that the organization has not yet decided how it will use the property.

The nonprofit will spend the coming months conducting “due diligence” and learning more about the site before making decisions about its future.

Previous Use

The property was previously used as the Francesca Residence assisted-living facility, but it was closed after the Daughters of Divine Charity said it was no longer financially sustainable to continue managing the buildings.

There were attempts to find a way to keep the residents at Leonora Hall, including efforts to find potential buyers who would allow residents to remain during the transition. Those efforts did not succeed, and the residents were ultimately displaced when the facility closed.

Original reporting: Signal Akron — read the source article.