
This fall, Lancaster Bible College (LBC) will offer upperclassmen a new housing option just 2.5 miles from its main campus in Manheim Township. Through a unique partnership with Calvary Homes, a local continuing care retirement community, students will be able to reside in a renovated two-story building formerly used for skilled nursing and personal care, located at 502 Elizabeth Drive.
More details from LighthouseTV’s July 7, 2025 Morning Light Live:
Known as Charger Hall @ Calvary, the dormitory will feature 42 private units, each with its own bathroom. Approximately 80 students, including resident advisers, are expected to move in for the fall semester. Eligibility is limited to juniors, seniors, and graduate students.
In addition to apartment-style living, students will be invited to join Calvary’s 300 residents for meals, worship services, and recreational activities like pickleball. The initiative is part of a one-year pilot program that creates intergenerational opportunities rooted in shared Christian values.
“They get a chance to actually talk with individuals who have life experience,” said Jael Chambers, Executive Vice President of Lancaster Bible College. The partnership comes at a critical time for LBC. With student enrollment on the rise and campus housing at full capacity, the college welcomed 286 new on-campus undergraduates last fall—its largest incoming class to date.
The building became available last year when Calvary moved its nursing and personal care services to Trillium Place, formerly Mennonite Home, at 1520 Harrisburg Pike in Manheim Township. Their two nonprofits joined forces to address financial challenges under the Tandem Living name.
“This is a chance to use an existing resource to meet a real need in our community,” said Dale Weaver, Executive Director of Calvary Homes and Vice President of Strategy and Technology at Tandem Living. “We feel strongly that we want to equip students for the world.”
The Manheim Township Commissioners approved a zoning ordinance amendment this week allowing college dormitories within retirement communities in certain areas. In its application, Calvary emphasized the importance of student character and cited LBC’s code of conduct as part of the plan.
Calvary’s Resident Council unanimously approved the initiative, with many residents expressing excitement about the new energy students will bring to campus. Bob Reid, a retired pastor and part of a group of seniors who mentor LBC students, put it this way: “The older folks are saying we’re looking forward to not just seeing wheelchairs, but to seeing bicycles on campus.”
Other media coverage:
- Fox43 Local TV Station: https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/lancaster-county/lancaster-bible-college-calvary-homes-assisted-living-housing/521-1eff4713-9bd9-4677-99f4-dec2fa8327c6
- Lancaster Online: https://lancasteronline.com/news/local/college-student-housing-coming-to-manheim-township-retirement-community/article_c80b6894-c48b-4429-a85d-9ff3689c608e.html
Jun 12, 2025