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The Bridge hopes to open in Northwood

By John Loftus

Times Staff Writer

Representatives of The Bridge, a program that aids juveniles with mental-health and substance-abuse problems, last week told members of the Northwood Civic Association the organization is interested in moving to more than 9 acres of vacant land on the 1100 block of Adams Ave.

The Bridge presently has a residential facility for 38 teenage boys on the 8400 block of Pine Road in Fox Chase, leasing space from the Medical Mission Sisters. Although, the program has operated on the nuns' property for about 40 years, The Bridge must find new quarters because the sisters need room to expand their residence, said The Bridge's program director, Michael Ogden.

"We don't want to leave," he said, but, because it must find a location, The Bridge is looking for a city location since the program serves young men from Philadelphia.

"We never had a problem at our current location," he said.

Ogden used a PowerPoint presentation to explain The Bridge's proposal during the civic association's Feb. 15 meeting at St. James Lutheran Church, Castor Avenue and Pratt Street.

He said The Bridge wants to use vacant land on Adams Avenue to build a new facility that would have no more than 40 juveniles in residence. He showed slides of what the property looks like now - fallow and strewn with debris and trash - and an architect's view of a building surrounded by landscaped grounds.

"Right now, it's a complete blight on the community," Jorge Santana, an aide to state Rep. Tony Payton (D-179th dist.), said of the property.

The land currently has industrial zoning, which would have to be changed for a residential facility to built there.

Barry Howell, Northwood's president, on Feb. 10 told members of the Frankford Civic Association that The Bridge, which is affiliated with the Public Health Management Corp., is not a drug rehab program although it aids juveniles who have problems with drugs, alcohol, school and family.

"Before they get there," he said, "they have to be clean and sober."

At Northwood's Feb. 15 session, some residents said they had had doubts about The Bridge locating in their neighborhood, but they had since visited the current facility on Pine Road and had left impressed.

Ogden said the program is highly structured and has 58 employees, the majority of whom are full-time. He added, after one resident raised questions about the facility's security, that The Bridge does not accept violent offenders.

Two young men currently in residence at The Bridge also spoke about their time there during the Northwood meeting. One, Andrew, said his experience at The Bridge turned his life around.

He said The Bridge is not a jail, which "makes me feel more like a human being instead of a caged animal."

Dina Baker, Public Health Management Corp.'s spokeswoman, said last week that The Bridge is also looking at other sites in the city.

Baker said she has no information yet on whether local civic associations will back The Bridge's plans for Adams Avenue.

Reporter John Loftus can be reached at 215-354-3110 or jloftus@bsmphilly.com